Mm^ ...:ai^,::i:>i«r<^ CIHM Microfiche Series (Monographs) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographles) Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquas 1994 mi»:^..'M^jz.^jt^^^,\:^. Technical and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, art checked below. L'Institut a microfilme le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a etc possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-itre uniques du point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la methode normaie de f ilmage ^ont indiques ci-dessous. I 'I Coloured covers/ I ^ I Couverture de couleur I D D Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauree et/ou pelliculec □ Cover title missing/ Lei n n n n n ! titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes geographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relie avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge interieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se pejt que certaines pages blanches ajoutees lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais. lorsque cela etait possible, ces pages n'ont pas ete filmees. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplementaires: □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagees □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurees et/ou pelliculees 1/1 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 1—1 Pages decolorees. tachetees ou piquees □ Pages detached/ Pages detachees I 71 Showthrough/ I ^ I Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Qualite inegale de I'impression □ Continuous pagination/ Pagination continue □ Includes index(es)/ Comprend un (des) index Title on header taken from; / Le titre de rentCte provient: □ Title page of issue/ Page de titre de la livraison □ Caption of issue/ Titre de depart de la livraison □ Masthead/ Gener ique (periodiques) de la livraison This Item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filme au taux de reduction indique ci-dessous. 10X MX 18X 22X 26 X /TT 30X 12X 1SX 20X 24X 28 X 22% The copy filmed here has been reproduced thank* to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grflce A la gAndrositA de: Bibliothique nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol --^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont M reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetA de l'exemplaire film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimte sont film^s en commengant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derni&re page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — •- signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmAs i des taux de rMuction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichi, 11 est filmi i partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■wm7^jik^^:^^is>. m MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1*5 156 2.8 3.2 3.6 Z5 2.2 lis MM 12 1.8 ^ APPLIED IIS/VIGE Inc '653 East Main Street Rochester. New York U609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (7 16) 288- 5989 -Fox ■'.-■f^ :';?'f" * r -f-f.r I i *:--■■ / i ■i V'J 'J ■ "ii'fey 5*«^M^iSSM^' 'iyiai>r - The YOUNGER SET - ii|^liiiiic^yil»jw»>'^^|i^j>r- : ^'' ^*'st 'K^i, :^mm iiit li. j^ :?wi ■&!.' ,"»"^7IWSD«iiHi "Ciuve into liis keepiiiy soul ;md body.' [Page 518] The ^^^ ^^^— / YOUNGER SET ^ BY ROBERT W. CHAMBERS AUTHOB OF "TH« FIOHTINO CHANGS," BTO. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY G. C. WILMSHURST TORONTO McLEOD & ALLEN PUBLISHERS -V. - ,-v s. ^^.v^^'-'••• ♦> tx ^^>«fcs\ N^ili " tp' i^ni^i^ y^^ Ho? pf ^(^ OAFTBIOHT, 1907, BT ROBRBT W. CHAMBEB8 PuhUthed Auffust, XM7 rmaxnn at m Am,«roiT XBW TOMC, C. ■. A. 880610 •^^ '..''"Sff-i!^. ■-'rtH CONTENTS FAOB I. — His Own People 1 n. — ^A Dream Ends 43 in. — ^Under The Ashes 84 IV, — Mid-Lent 119 v. — ^Afterglow Igl VI. — ^The Unexpected I94 Vn. — ^Errands and Letters 242 VIlI. — SiLVERSIDE 2g() IX. — ^A Novice 324 X. — Lex Non Scripta 884 XI. — ^His Own Wat 42o Xn, — ^Her Way 4qq Ars Amoris 5Q3 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PACING "Gave into his keeping soul and body" . Frontupiece " 'There is no reason,' she said, 'why you should not call this house home ' " 20 " 'Two pillows,' said Drina sweetly" iso " *I don't know why I came' " 154 "Turning, looked straight at Selwyn" 240 "Eileen watched the performance with growing interest" 288 "Gerald beside her, and Neergard on the ot: *»r side" . S68 "With the acrid smell of smoke choking her" . . 500 : ! i ! W--,/X*B»^ -.♦.# THE YOUNGER SET CHAPTER I HIS OWN PEOPLE if " Yotr never met Selwyn, did you? " No, sir." " Never heard anything definite about his trouble? '* insisted Gerard. "Oh, yes, sir!" replied young ErroU, "I've heard a good deal about it. Everybody has, you know." " Well, I don't know," retorted Austin Gerard ir- ritably, « what * everybody ' has heard, but I suppose it's the usual garbled version made up of distorted fact and malicious gossip. That's why I sent for you. Sit down." Gerald Erroll seated himself on the edge of the big, polished table in Austin's private office, one leg swing- ing, an unlighted cigarette between his lips. Austin Gerard, his late guardian, big, florid, with that peculiar blue eye which seems to characterise hasty temper, stood by the window, tossing up and catching the glittering gold piece — souvenir of the directors' meeting which he had just left. " What has happened," he said, " is this. Captain Selwyn is back in town — sent up his card to me, but they told him I was attending a directors' meeting. When the meeting was over I found his card and a message 1 •iMm^o* 30«-VV THE YOUNGER SET " In the first place," he said « r^^t. • e i mj brother-in-lawl-wh ch wonMn'f ^^ " ^^''y" " clear, Gerald?" ""<« » c«t! C-a-t, cat. Is that **Ye8, sir." in M^ I.« W^ N ' "^^ !'»,'«' h™ -t there uigniij, steady patience, and swppf f««,«— j t™ • u ■ '"'' I'"*'!''"! turaed Utt— and— S.! »yi> « above that sort of gusnlcion u. . _f^™— *>«'- took the field within a week " '^''' *"' '""" with"' ^r" ' """'' '"*'"^ "*""«' "■' ™ I^' "»'= AU^^Ha' ^^ "V^ ®''"y" "■"« I""*, to find that Al«e had .«led w,th Jack Ruthven. And whaTdidle ' "•■t4_>'' « HIS OWN PEOPLE d««e? No i h. didn't. Th.t ui/.n..l Sdwrn coiuci«I! kick, over the tr«« it ™u.t b. b«.„« ./ ^'^ dH.rt«o,n.ng on hi. p.rt. In .on,. w.y or oSlrT^t m.n per.u«fcd hi„«If .f hi. «,po«.ibiHty fortT, *' l^i"*?"";.,"'.^" "•»' " ■«"" ^ h. didn't «kZ « to .,d h,ra to grt rid of her; h. kn« perf«tly weH that h» ..lence m..nt .okBowfedg„,ent of culp.WIiTy th.t J» couldn't r.n.«n in th. «rvice under .C .1' hJ!/^ ""^iS "'''•" """"""J Au.tin, .trikiuB hi. oivorce— and, to give her every chance to marrr Ruth- ™n. he refund «, def«,d the .uit That .orof d."^„ .. very pictur^que. no doubt, but it ct him uf^^ --«t him «irift at thirty-five, a man branded »^^ .»n left him no bu..ne«, not much money_a man in the pr»»ofhfeand hope and ambition, cl«^ in tCgit i™^ iTdfriir' *° *'^'' *■" ""^ "'»'' « b«- r,* » »t^ '*'""«' "» *■" "houMer. of that Mr. frfn t^r""^' Ruthven-wbo« name you miy " " "y "O™" ««■■ Pl«yed me a dirty trick," he 3 THE TOUNGER SET JJI^'m ^'^ •^,**»***»^ public m«le no mi.take in placinir It tnT. It. '^k' !ri "~*^* -Hrugg^i-^ pL i:f jyn ,.n t; tUf. the difference-and it may bo in hit favour from an ethical and .entimenUl point of vie^ have ttt " *^* *^* " ^^^'y •"^'^ • "•" ' ^nd -»>*" you have the honour to meet him, keep that fact in the lick of your head among the few brain, with which^roW - dcnce has equipped you." "Thanks!" «,id Gerald, colouring up. He cast ^/tLTh ' ^"!r ^f^t^'P*^ fireplace, slid off the cS^ Ihn. t !:''",^ P''^"^ "P **^* ^'^*- Austin eyed hSI without particular approval. " You buy too many clothes," he observed. " That*, a new suit, isn't it? " ••Certainly," said Gerald; « T needed it." the nimble Mr. Neergard?" » • • "ow. RosT vT**^** ," ^"?;»^»"«- We put through that Rose Valley deal. I tell you what, Austin. I wish you could see your way clear to finance one or two " Austin's frown cut him short. courl^" ' *?!. 'It^l ^°" ^""^ y°"' «^ business, of course said the boy, a little resentfully. « Only a. Fane, Harmon & Co. have thought it worth while—'* I don t care what Pane, Harmon think," growled pher entered; he nodde. a curt dismissal to Gerald, Sd- ing, as the boy reached the door- .nd'Jdo'we;'" "^"" """ '° "^ "» ■«'"•' *<->■«'>*- Gerald halted. •• I'd clean forgotten," he began; " I xnade another —a rather important engagement- 4 M HIS OWN PEOPLE But Austin waa not liatening ; in fact, he had already begun to dictate to his denture stenographer, and Ger- ald stood a moment, hesitating, then turned on his heel and went away down the resounding marble corridor. " They never let me alone," he muttered ; " they're always at me — following me up as though I were a schoolboy. . . . Austin's the worst — never satisfied. . . . What do I care for all these functions — sitting around with the younger set and keeping the cradle of conver- sation rocking? I won't go to that infernal baby- show!" He entered the elevator and shot down to the great rotunda, r'il! scowling over his grievance. For he had made arrai ^ements to join a card-party at Julius Neer- gard's rooms that night, and he had no intention of foregoing that pleasure just becauiie his sister's first grown-up dinner-party was fixed for the same date. As for this man Selwyn, whom he had never met, he saw no reason why he shou^ ^ -p business and scuttle uptown in order to welcome i- No doubt he was a good fellow; no doubt he hac ..n«*ved very decently in a matter which, until a few moments before, he had heard little about. He meant to be civil ; he'd look up Selwyn when h^ had a chance, and ask him to dine at the club. But this afternoon he couldn't do it ; and, as for the evening, he had made his arrangements, and he had no intention of disturbing them on Austin's account. When he reached his office he picked up the telephone and called up Gerard's house ; but neither his sister nor anybody else was there except the children and servants, and Captain Selwyn had not yet called. So he left no message, merely saying that he'd call up again. Which he forgot to do. IHB rovjfaj,„ .„^ «' the rich «,d gr^t ZlZ T- "^"^S "« !»»«? hou*. of the rich „d ^Tst ItlTi""' "*« "« « thou«.„d cement. .f^Lhl''^ ^"^ "* I'™ out of the nwoccie. of the mighty '"'' «P"'"«nleM « And, itroUinir nt i.; »"th.r. he o«„e prelt/vt" '",*'" '"'"""* ""ter «wl plate-ghuis. ™"" "' ""y new limestone Could this be the street wher. w ■ A, usual „h,„ perplexM?"' ""f «»««■• now lived? to W. moustache- and h- , "'""'j' '"'"^ Ws hand -lightly bl„«,.,h„t f^m the t"'"t «"y 'y«. 'tat ""Thi"' '-p«t«^"nt:i,i:' f '"""•«' "«- The house was « K; i ""'*"'"'*r house. ■'« fohabons of grille and doir * *'"""*«^ '"o"" broughrm: «7'wctoria''t*ptT'' ^"'"»= -t»'. ™™t; pi^ty women glancS ouf f™ ^ ««"«"»« tonn«u i young men of hi' o^ t " ",? '™''""'» «»d coat«l, the crook, of thdr7« t?^' ""'■'«'"«'. /rock- under their left .rm,, ^^ed ' "? '^''''' ""=''«' -P But the nod, of re^o^^ff v^^ ^"^ «*. ^^ing, of motor XX Zt"^ '!""' «" -"'"o- fla,hmg on carriage ww!' ^""'"8 hoofs, the sun -e,, hames,, on V^^Zff^ P""*' -■ '^ • «park of Hre smothered bTtL K?™^ ^ ^e throat, and the bright indi^* "*''' «* « "Oman', « ' this had long sin^Lt 1 "™". "' ^' ^<'ij~ h.m the pageit pas,^ IrL""™"?* '" '>™- F"' Samarover the gli^erin; va,lev? ""'' P"''™ » «™"ey grasses; and he saw BIS OWN PEOPLE t through .im-daaW ey«_.Il this, ™d the leafle,, t«es beyond .g„„rt the .ky, .„d the trees J^Z m . httle w»try lake ., brown as the brown of The e™ which were closed to him now forever ^ A. he stood there, again he seemed to hear the wh-stle s,g„al, clear, distant, ripphng across th" blown grasses where the brown constabulary lay fl™. m the sunshine; but the rifle shots were the crack „f whips, ™d ^ ,., „„,y , ,^t _^ of thetafsl trtit :x:h^ *' ™"^"« ^•"■«" »""'»' Again Selwyn turned to the house hesi-f«t;«^ reco^iled^ Ever, sun-lit window red'trafC He had not been prepared for so much limestone and marqu.se magnificence where there was morfre- LThTuVth" *"^*"*"" ^"' ™°'^ bay-window th«: both, but the number was the number of his sister's house; and, as the street and the avenue corrobo ated LVTndT' ^"f^""'^*-"' h« -unted the doorst p' rang and leisurely examined four stiff box-trees flank yLr! ^'"'^ accustomed to for so Lny Nobody came; once or twice he fancied he heard sounds proceeding from inside the house. He rln^ again and fumbled for his card ca«P Q ul ^ coming. ^^^- Somebody was of I^irr'"\ *^** *^' ^°°' °P^"^ h« ^«« aware of a distant and curious uproar^far away echoes oJ o^Ze^rfh*'^ ''^' '''''^' «' '^''' Tise s-ed forfr 1^ T"" '" ^*^*^"« ^^"^^'"^ Wm; but be- Jam Itself apparently broke loose somewhere i^ X immediate upper Iandin^n„i.e in its crudest el^f; 7 THE roujvnpjj, ci:.^ « 8 the children broke Ion«o - 7 . ^« Pardon, sir, ; The what? » ' *" '^^«* ^'W-Iike » . '*^^y the children, sir^fn.k .• . sir- '» "* ^^^ — lox-huntm' the cat ills Voice Was ln«f " xl sending crescendo from'fl„ /'^°« diwonance de- »t.i" in pursuit Z a run,Z '^T' *'°™ »••« hall- "ith yelps and cheer! and^tf/ '"'■«' <^'"' *™'"in« on the floor. "'' *'""'' """""e the thick ru^ ;.t ^;ie"";;ttro tiS" td'fl!^"'K* P»'' °^ for safety into the veiling K ,, ^'^' '>""omng on the floor. Abo™ thi! h""" f '='^""" """^ dog^ t«ii» of dogs wav«J wild?; for'T '^' "™' """^ '^e boy, blond hair in disoJdef ,t T"'' ^^ « ™«I1 «tting hollowed hart 'cl^*'?^ '" ''"^«'' «""' «rd! Harkaway for'rardf t«'i. ^" '^^ "'' ^'"■'- Tatters! After L, 0,^ev' . r^ """"^ "*«^ ' Now, «^orry «„. Stinger'.°7^^;.ht*Mf '"'"' «'•»'*«'' pups. atSdlTdrsCj^f "" ^ '"o f- beagle terrier flew «t Mw™', „i 1 '^''"■' ""^ «" I'^h the sn,all boy, riJi7t„ h" fl r""* '""''"»= """^ «ton.shed ,ent,e.a? f :r'the';::; t?' "™" "^ """ men! Prepare to recei^tf»C Jfr'' ""'*''^' he^^a^ded. backing awa, " Clrt':;:'! tS^the' 'PealXTTe ^^uld^^^icttw^" *"» '»"««' "> 8 HIS OWN PEOPLE « Oh, you hush up, Dawson ! " said the boy ; and to Selwyn he added tentatively, « Hello "' ^ ^ ^"^ ^^ ;: H«^"o yourself," replied Selwyn, keeping off the cn-chng pups with the point of his stick « TOat is bt^nTpT^ ^^^^"'«^^ ^-^^— ^^^- -^ ™ean to be rude » «},« P amed; « they're only children " ThJ^ I . ^^' glimmering smile in SeWyn^s " ?b"; '^^^f ^"« '^- wouldn't mind telling us^h„ v^ ! u ^''^'^P' ^°" would like to know but 1 ^ !"' ''""*"'" ^^ *" bred enough to asT" *'' ""* «"^"« *« ^^ i"" from them. * ^* **'^'* ^*« "« response relation.- °^ ^°""--* «?«"«« of avuncular «r';V^*!\^*^';-kedDrina coldly. That, -dSelwyn,;;.e^,,Hat^.™™oreor HIS OWN PEOPLE less of an uncle to you. Hope you don't mind. You don t have to entertain me, you know." "An uncle! " repeated Drina. « Our uncle? » echoed Billy. « You are not our soldier uncle, are you? You are not our Uncle Philin are you? " ^* " It amounts to that," admitted Selwyn. « Is it all right? " There was a dead silence, broken abruptly by Billv " Where is your sword, then? " j j j^ " At the hotel. Would you like to see it, Billy? " The five children drew a step nearer, inspecting mm with merciless candour. "Is it aU right?" asked Selwyn again, smilingly uneasy under the concentrated scrutiny. « How about It, Drina? Shall we shake hands? " Drina spoke at last: «Ye-es,» she said slowly, «I thmk It 18 all right to shake hands." She took a step forward, stretching out her hand. Selwyn stooped; she laid her right hand across his, hesitated, looked up fearlessly, and then, raising her- sdf on tiptoe, placed both arms upon his shoulders, offering her hps. One by one the other children came forward to greet this promising new uncle whom the youncer among them had never before seen, and whom Drina, the oldest, had forgotten except as that fabled war- nor of legendary exploits whose name and fame had become cherished classics of their nursery. -r.'^/u"*''^ "^^'i^'^''^" *"^ *^°«« clustered amicably around him; under foot tails wagged, noses sniffed; playful puppy teeth tweaked at his coat-skirts; and m front and at either hand eager flushed little faces were upturned to his, shy hands .ought his and nestled 11 THE YOUNGER SET confidently mto the hollow of his palms or took fir™ propnetary hold of sleeve and coat ^"" f.fK '"f^''" °b««rved Selwjn blandly, « that vour sC;nTat::'"*'^^*-"^*^^^-^- Pertps^rdJtTe^ e.ci:^:^Sa":ii^^^^o^^^^^^^^ ^^^-'^ ^--^^ us stories? Don't ^T ? ^°" "P«' *» te" with US :„d p°ro„ c/SoV/"' ■"" "■" ■■- to do'^v'jf'.^d's'Biur'" ' '"' '""« "-' '" ^- "If you'll come up to the nursery we'll h«^« we pl««e! wm yoC? ' '' ""** "<•"« " «e ih^r.:* """"' " '• -"-■-- SelJ"^ r " but ,h„. rooj ;"r^^"C/rj:r 'i-.? ■- "-^ '^--x"- PhiUp; we'll have a fimXadL-huntTf ""' "''^° lock *e schoofroo. and let thf^fut » '"" '' ""- Anyway, they can brew tea there if tl,.„ lonely," added Drina, ushering SeCtaLtj h-'' sunny nursery, where he stood, irresolT |"l- u * him, aware that ho ■,.. - • • ""^'olute, looking about «.mewher" on tt irT"* "* "P.™ """■"^- ''"■» and muffled a^pL^L IZ^Z Z'Zt\ '7"' ™« ■ndignation of the soh«,lroom™ rf,™:^*" ''"=''*"'" ^-^ HIS OWN PEOPLE it You ought to let them out," he said. " You'll surely be punished." °" " "We will let them out after we've made noise enough," sa.d Billy calmly. « We'll probably be pu" ished anyway, so we may as well make a noise." f »,.„•' added Drina, "we are going to make all the noise we can while we have the opportunity. Billy, IS everything ready?" ^ And before Selwyn understood precisely what was happenmg, he found himself the centre of a circle of madly racmg children and dogs. Round and round ham they tore. Billy yelled for the hurdles and Jo sephine knocked over some chairs and dragged them across the course of the route; and over them leaped and scrambled children and puppies, splitting the air with that same quality of din which had greeted him upon his entrance to his sister's house. When there was no more breath left in the chil- dren, and when the dogs lay about, grinning and loU- '°*«^v"* *PP'"°'*^h«l him* Wand and dishevelled That circus," she explained, "was for your en- tertainment. Now wiU you please do something for ;; Certainly," said Selwyn, looking about him vague- ly , shall we -er-build blocks, or shall I read to you — er-^ut of that big picture-book » «thJ^'"''':;^''°^"\ "'P'**^ ^'^y ^ith scorn; thats good enough for nurses to read. You're telL° ' ^""^ ^""''' ^°^^^" *^*^« real stories to "I see," he said meekly. « What am I to tell you aoout — our missionaries in Sulu.?" Ho J ^ !*"" ^'l* P^*""'" ^"^^" ^'^"a, « vou are to lie down flat on the floor and creep about and show us IS ■^w 'VUF '^k:sfMFmwhm.^ 's .*- ^'v. •Hum THE YOUNGER SET how the Moros wriggle through the gnus to bolo our sentinels.'* "Why, it'fl-it's this way," began Selwyn, leaning back in his rocking-chair and comfortably crossing one knee over the other; « for instance, suppose '» ^^ " Oh, but you must show us ! " interrupted Billy. Get down on the floor please, uncle." "I can tell it better!" protested Selwyn; «I can show you just the " " Please lie down and show us how they wricffle? " begged Drina. ** " I ^on'* ^ant to get down on the floor," he said feebly; "is it necessary?" But they had already discovered that he could be bulbed, and they had it their own way; and presently Selwyn lay prone upon the nursery floor, impersonat- ing a ladrone while pleasant shivers chased themselves over Drina, whom he was stalking. And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasmg and snake-like progress of thoir uncle that a young girl in furs, ascending the stairs two at a time, peeped perfunctorily into the nursery as she passed the hallway— and halted amazed. ^Iwyn, sitting up rumpled and cross-legged on the floor, after having boloed Drina to everybody's exquisite satisfaction, looked around at the sudden rus- tle of skirts to catch a glimpse of a vanishing figure— a glimmer of ruddy hair and the white curve of a youthful face, half -buried in a muff^. Mortified, he got to his feet, glanced out in* > the hallway, and began adjusting his attire. " No, you don't ! " he said mildly, « I decline to perform again. If you want any more wriggling you must accomplish it yourselves. Drina, has your 14 L HIS OWN PEOPLE governess — by any unfortunate chance — er — red hair?" " No,** said the child ; " and won*t you please crawl across the floor and bolo me— just once more? ** " Bolo me ! *' insisted Billy. " I haven't been man- gled yet!'* ** Let Billy assassinate somebody himself. And, by the way, Drina, are there any maids or nurses or servants in this remarkable house who occasionally w^ar copper-tinted hair and black fox furs? ** " No. Eileen does. Won*t you please wrig- gle ^" "Who is Eileen?" " Eileen ? Why — don't you know who Eileen is ? ** " No, I don't,'* began Captain Selwyn, when a de- lighted shout from the children swung him toward the door again. His sister, Mrs. Gerard, stood there in carrage gown and sables, radiant with surprise. "Phil! Yo»! Exactly like you, Philip, to come strolling in from the antipodes — dear fellow ! " recov- ering from the fraternal embrace and holding both lapels of his coat in her gloved hands. " Six years ! *' she said again and again, tenderly reproachful ; " Al- exandrine was a baby of six — Drina, child, do you remember my brother — do you remember your Uncle Philip? She doe8n*t remember; you can*t expect her to recollect; she is only twelve, Phil " " I remember one thing,** observed Drina serenely. Brother and sister turned toward her in pride and delight ; and the child went on : " My Aunt Alixe ; I remember her. She was so pretty,** concluded Drina, nodding thoughtfully in the effort to remember more; " Uncle Philip, where is she now? ** But her uncle seemed to have lost his voice as well 15 I THE roVNGER SET "ed^'r^uXfu. s.r •• «'-«' '^«'" ««"»■ 1 never dreamed—" she beffan--«'fK« ku l never spoken of— of h.^ / oepn— the child has h" by the .houlder.. ,MvmJ^ mother caught "Where in the world is Bri^^/^fff* ''«'>"J'! Katie? And what i. .11 th- tIP ' /'"''" "^"' » . can't be po^^XfyT.l'T^-'ZFrr' " over the house again' You^ n„» fo:t-hunt>ng all well that Tou are no^ t„ 1, T T ' ''"'"' I^rfectly ownnurj^ " "* *" ■""■* '"'y^^" «cept in your " I •™ow it," said Drina. " hnf ITi* ir- . r«l downstairs. We had „ f"„ 5' «°* °"' «"'' until she went to eart, " '"'' ''"' ^o" '"'"'. clust of ^Lt rin ""' '-""I *■" ""»«''» *» «-e ished only to reTrefr^"""^' ''^"^'""'' «» "x-y ™- fore the ^^^7^I1^Z:} ^1^-^^".^ "^ ™rg':5;s^-i^- .»- - -- %cr K ioua tneir ignominious incarceration 16 M^' HIS OWN PEOPLE " Billy! " exclaimed his mother, " did you do that? Bridget, Master William is to take supper by himself in the schoolroom — ^and no marmalade ! — No, Billy, not one drop ! ** " We all saw him lock the door," said Drina hon- estly. " And you let him? Oh, Drina !— And Ellen ! Katie ! No marmalade for Miss Drina — none for any of the children. Josie, mother feels dreadfully because you all have been so naughty. Winthrop! — ^your finger! Instantly! Clemence, baby, where on earth did you acquire all that grime on your face and fists? " And to her brother: "Such a household, Phil! Every- body incompetent — including me; everything topsy- turvy; and all five dogs perfectly possessed to lie on that pink rug in the music room. — Have they been there to-day, Drina? — while you were practising?" " Yes, and there are some new spots, mother. I'm very sorry." " Take the children away ! " said Mrs. Gerard. But she bent over, kissing each culprit as the file passed out, convoyed by the amply revenged nurses. "No marmalade, remember; and mother has a great mind not to come up at bedtime and lean over you. Mother has no desire to lean over her babies to-night." To " lean over " the children was always expected of this mother ; the direst punishment on the rather brief list was to omit this intimate evening ceremony. "M-mother," stammered the Master of Fox Hounds, "you will lean over us, won't you?" " Mother hasn't decided " "Oh, muwer! " wailed Josie; and a howl of grief and dismay rose from Winthrop, modified to a gurgle by the forbidden finger. 17 ;iO?3iilf^N' THE YOUNGER SET 4< We've 1 1> b«n p«tty b«l, but not l»d enough for th.tl Jo.i. T^^Ji;^' '/'^ ^'-P *'"" '«'«. Winlh«,p! JMie, Im going to leu over vou— «nd von iJL C «nen„. baby. K.tie, tUe tho« « -nother h«i bet- ^.t Z^ WlllT'' 'irr '^""""'"y- A« they .ou think 0/ thiLt HZf^pIT?^' *""-""' "» Dri^'.lin*d°tW T*^u'- ''r"'' ^*'y orB.n.enUI. wJ^ u '^ tremendously. He told me th.t he'd ™ ISv t;: "/T ' °"«" *» '»« interfered, it was reaUy my fault, you see." " A?*** y^^ didn't make him let them out? You are not gomg to be very good morallv for «,^ Tell m#» PK.i k ^ e "" inorajiy lor my yo»mg. ieii me, fhil, have you seen Austin?" " I went to the Trust Company, but he was attend ing a directors' confab. How is he? wi! -..how I observe," with a^mt us^'^l r^^^^^^^ the elaborate hallway which they were t^raversing MTIIL.«<^ "L" '■IrH^.tram HIS OWN PEOPLE " Don't dare laugh at us ! " •miled his sister. " I wish we were back in Tenth Street. But so many chil- dren came — IMlly, Josephine, Winthrop, and Tina — and the Tenth Street house wasn't half big enough; And a dreadful speculative builder built this house and persuaded Austin to buy it. Oh, dear, and here we are among the rich and great; and the steel kings and copper kings and oil kings and their heirs and daupliins. Do you like the house?" " It's — ah — roomy," he said cheerfully. " Ctti ! It isn't so bad from tht outside. And we have just had it redecorated inside. Mizner did it. Look, dear, isn't that a cunning bed-room? " drawing him toward a partly open door. " Don't be so hor- ridly critical. Austin is becoming used to it now, so don't stir him up and make fun of things. Anyway you're going to stay here." " No, I'm at the Holland.'* " Of coune you're to live with us. You've resigned from the service, haven't you? " He looked at her sliurply, but did not reply. A curious flash of telepathy passed between them; she hesitated, then: " You once promised Austin and me that you would stay with us." " But, Nina " "No, no, no! Wait," pressing an electric but- ton ; " Watson, Captain Selwyn's luggage is to be brought here immediately from the Holland! Immedi- ately ! " And to Selwyn : " Austin will not be at home before half-past six. Come up with me now and see your quarters — a perfectly charming place f'^i you, with your own smoking-room and dressing-clos*; and bath. Wait, we'll take the elevator — as long as we have one." 19 ■acfTV ~~«"« of ^ TZ"" 1} P^^ ^°" * visit-for a little while." You 11 hve here, that's what you'll do— though I suppose you are dreaming and scheming to have all sorts of secret caves and queer places to yourself- horxid, grimy, smoky bachelor quarters where you can behave sans-fofon," *^ « A^l^'^'l^'^^ ^"??^ °^ *«n.-fflfon," he said grimly. After shacks and bungalows and gun-boats and troop- ships, do you suppose this doesn't look rather heav- tion^f^h-: i-r ^'^ ''' "°* "'^^ *^ ^'^ "^^"^'^'^ p- He threw back his coat, dug both hands into his pockets, and began to wander abo,,^ the rooms, halt- mg sometimes to examine nondescr pt articles of orna- L^?e»fnpffei^"^ I ■n 3 r^v.^-. '^ -1 J ! _AJfl!f ■'U-imfX: * HIS OWN PEOPLE meat or bits of furniture as though politely interested. But she knew his thoughts were steadily elsewhere. Sauntering about, aware at moments that her trou- bled eyes were following him, he came back, presently, to where she sat perched upon his bed. " It all looks most inviting, Nina," he said cheer- fully, seating himself beside her. " I — ^well, you can scartely be expected to understand how this idea of a home takes hold of a man who has none." " Yes, I do," she said. " All this — " he paused, leisurely, to select his words — " all this — ^you — the children — that jolly nur- sery— " he stopped again, looking out of the window ; and his sister looked at him through eyes grown misty. " There is no reason," she said, " why you should not call this house home." " N-no reeison. Thank you. I will — for a few days." " No reason, dear," she insisted. " We are your own people; we are all you have, Phil! — the children adore you already; Austin — you know what he thinks of you ; and — ^and I " " You are very kind, Ninette." He sat partly turned from her, staring at the sunny window. Pres- ently he slid his hand back along the bed-covers until it touched and tightened over hers. And in silence she raised it to her lips. They remained so for a while, he still partly turned from her, his perplexed and narrowing gaze fixed on the window, she pressing his clenched hand to her lips, thoughtful and silent. " Before Austin comes," he said at length, " let's get the thing over — and buried — as long as it will stay buried." tl m w^:': t '--^L THE YOUNGER SET " Yes, dear." •.wf"";*^^""**'"''"-" ^"* ^« *^'o*t closed tight with the effort. ** itpT"^" is here," she said gently; "did you know He nodded. Ruthv^n?"^""^' ""^ ''°''"^' *^* '^^'' "^'"^"^ •^*^'' He nodded again. sign'llt'' ^°" " ^"''' ^^^' °' ^""^ ^"" ^^"y '^- " Resigned." " I knew it," she sighed. He said: " As I did not defend the suit I couldn't remain m the service. There's too much said about us, anyway— about us who are appointed from civil hte. And then— to have that happen ! " "Phil?" "What?" " Will you answer me one thing? '» " Yes, I guess so." " Do you still care for — ^her? " " I am sorry for her.'* After a painful silence his sister said: « Could you tell me how it began, Phil? " "How it began? I don't know that, either. When Bannard s command took the field I went with the scouts, ^xe remamed in Manila. Ruthven was there for Fane Harmon & Co. That's how it began, I suppose ; and it's a rotten chmate for morals; and that's how it began " "Only that?" ^ ' "We had had differences. It's been one misunder- standing after another. If you mean was I mixed up with another woman— no! She knew that." an HIS OWN PEOPLE " She was very young, Phil." He nodded: " I don't blame her." ** Couldn't anything have been done? '* ** If it could, neither she nor I did it — or knew how to do it, I suppose. It went wrong from the begin- ning; it was founded on froth — she had been engaged to Harmon, and she threw him over for * Boots ' Lansing. Then I came along — Boots behaved like a thoroughbred — that is all there is to it — inexperience, romance, trouble — a quick beginning, a quick parting, and two more fools to give the lie to civilization, and justify the West Pointers in their opinions of civil appointees." " Try not to be so bitter, Phil ; did you know she was going before she left Manila ? " " I hadn't the remotest idea of the affair. I thought that we were trying to learn something about life and about each other. . . . Then that climax came." He turned and stared out of the window, dropping his sister's hand. " She couldn't stand me, she couldn't stand the life, the climate, the inconveniences, the ab- sence of what she was accustomed to. She was dead tired of it all. I can understand that. And I — I didn't know what to do about it. . . . So we drifted; and the catastrophe came very quickly. Let me tell you something; a West Pointer, an Annapolis man, knows what sort of life he's going into and what he is to expect when he marries. Usually, too, he marries into the Army or Navy set; and the girl knows, too, what kind of a married life that means. '* But I didn't. Neither did Alixe. And we went under; that's all^ — fighting each other heart and soul to the end. ... Is she happy with Ruthven.^ I never 8 23 THE YOUNGER SET knew him — and never can-H fn t -^utin to™ .„o„« th?;:!.:; .J TZyf^' «» _ Yes. I ve met Ali« once or twice. She w«. „, shifLT'""r -'"""'" ""* --^^"^ 1L7^ the.o"^;j:r:et-tithir'^:„Li^/™ -^ bod^H!::\H"e iZbXrofo;'^ ,^t rrn t .o„:t^it";etZ-,t^r^-^---:;- one <»n-t write that sort rf tt,„ 'j^if"" »'' '"«"'- "Nina!" * "wu^VT'" "'"^ '^< »*«rtled. Who the dickens U Eileen? " ErroU's daughter, and the court, appointed Austin S n.e guardians for her and for herZotht tfZ^^" " Now is it clear to you? " ' «4 HIS OWN PEOPLE Jef t the child so utterly alone in the world, save for her Gelrds ^""^ ^ *^''*^"* ^^"^'^ ^^ "'*'"*«' ^^*^ *^^ For a while he sat brooding, arms loosely folded, immersed once more in his own troubles. " It seems a shame," he jraid, « that a family like ours whose name has always spelled decency, should find themselves entangled in the very things their race has always hated and managed to avoid. And through me, too." * " It was not your fault, Phil." won'i*/?\"°* !^' ^'''°'''^ P*"*- ^° 3^°" suppose I wouldn t have taken any kind of medicine before re- sortmg to that! But what's the use; for you can try as you may to keep your name clean, and then you can fold your arms and wait to see what a hope- less fool fate makes of you." "But no disgrace touches you, dear," she said tremulously. hittZ''' ^'«V" °'^'' *^^*' *°° " ^"^ '^^^ ^^th quiet bitterness. "You are partly right; nobody cares in this town. Even though I did not defend the suit, nobody cares. And there's no disgrace, I suppose, if nobody cares enough even to condone. Divorce is no longer noticed; it is a matter of ordinary occurrence— a matter of routine in some sets. Who cares .?—exceDt decent folk? And they only think it's a pity-and com f ^t themselves. The horrified^lamour comes from outside the social registers and blue books- we Know they're right, but it doesn't affect us. What does affect us is thai we u^e the decent folk who Fcrmittcd ourselves the luxury of being sorry for others who resorted to divorce as a remedy but S5 THE roVNGBR SET •' mit '.;?..""* '»«y<'«f«' that .ay." I come back here .„d karn that weVe aH „,.f ' those ideas '» ® *" outgrown "Phil! I never meant that." *™ such matter if she f?und H '"'r '""'' «°^- fo' me, I could not blame ler But' t"° '""^'^ "'«^ mated, have only one lance i„,h " Ir"''' ""■'■ «>-> t^gedy though tthj^n; 'T^r'" «r solutely all life holds for them B ^' ^ ^ ' " ""^ of that dead line— tr..,l, \ T""* ""**• <""«de civilisation! T^H "m;"""^ *," .'«'^ »d «« and experience in heU •• V^, ™»-='«™n after a year's floor, fingers worrying hi. ""f ^«*" '" ?"« ">« «iaw,wwchido';:fi^''r';:''*", "^"-^ ^'•■' «" again with another\Zfn J » ™ '°°" '" "»'' '' tun-in, rounTald ZJll^l wh'l /°"''' '^™ you think you've made .n^! ^'"^ '^''8« •>"*■' f^ven't. Dear Lr, , "u P^S'^s,; and you iieve to b7unseM!r '", "V J'hat you honestly be- principle.! n fng bTt th^tt"'' '^'"""" *» HIS OWN PEOPLE mental and physical life forced by sheer courage into niechanical routine Wait a moment; there is no- body elso to say this to you ; and if I did not love you I would not interfere with this great mistake you are so honestly making of your life, and which, per- haps, ,s the only comfort left you. I say, « perhaps,* fo. I do not beheve that life holds nothing happier for 3 Du than the sullen content of martyrdom." "I am right!" she said, almost fiercely; "I've been married thirteen years and I've lost that fear of men's portentous judgments which all girls outgrow one day. And do you think I am going to acquiesce m this attitude of yours toward life? Do you think I can't distinguish between a tragical mistake and a mistaken tragedy? I tell you your life is not fin- ished ; it IS not yet begun ! " He looked at her, incensed; but she sprang to the floor, her face bright with colour, her eyes clear, de- termined: "I thought, when you took the oath of military service, you swore to obey the laws of the land? And the very first law that interferes with your pr-conceived notions-crack J-you say it's not for you. Look at me-you great, big, wise brother of rnme-who knows enough to march a hundred and three men into battle, but not enough to know where pride begins and conscience ends. You're badly hurt • jou are deeply humiliated over your resignation; you' beheve that ambition for a career, for happiness, for marriage and for children is ended for you. You need fresh air--and I'm going to see you have it. You ne^ new duties, new faces, new scenes, new prob- lems. You shall have them. Dear, believe me, few men as young as you-as attractive, as human, as 27 THE YOUNGER SET lovable, as affectionate as you, wilfully ruin their lives because of a hurt pride which they mistake for con- science. You will understand that when you become convalescent. Now kiss me and tell me you're much obLged— for I hear Austin's voice on the stairs." He held her at arms' length, gazing at her, half amused, half indignnt; then, unbidden, a second flash of the old telepathy passed between them— a pale glim- mer hghted his own dark heart in sympathy; and for a moment he seemed to have a brief glimpse of the truth; and the truth was not as he had imagined it. But It was a glimpse only— a fleeting suspicion of his own fallibility; then it vanished into the old, dull, aching, obstinate humiliation. For truth would not be truth if it were so easily discovered. ^^ "Well, we've buried it now," breathed Selwyn. \ou re all right, Nina— from your own standpoint— nni I'm not going to make a stalking nuisance of myself ; no fear, little sister. Hello ! "—turning swiftly — " here's that preposterous husband of yours.'' They exchanged a firm hand clasp; Austin Gerard, big, smooth shaven, humorously inclined toward the ruddy heaviness of successful middle age; Selwyn, lean, bronzed, erect, and direct in all the powerful sym- metry and perfect health of a man within sight' of maturity. " Hail to the chief— €t cetera," said Austin, in his large, bantering voice. « Glad to see you home, my bolo-punctured soldier boy. Welcome to our city' I suppose you've both pockets stuffed with loot, now haven't you?— pearls and sarongs and dattos— yes? Have you inspected the kids? What's your opinion of the Gerard batallion? Pretty fit? Nina's com- mandmg, so it's up to her if we don't pass dress 28 HIS OWN PEOPLE parade. Bj the way, your enormous luggage is here —consisting of one dinky trunk and a sword done up in chamois skin." "Nina's good enough to want me for a few days—" began Selwyn, but his big brother-in-law laughed scornfully: " A few days ! We've got you now ! » And to his wife: "Nina, I suppose I'm due to lean over those infernal kids before I can have a minute with your brother. Are they in bed yet? All right, Phil; we'll be down in a minute; there's tea and things in the library. Make Eileen give you some." He turned, unaffectedly taking his pretty wife's hand in his large florid paw, and Selwyn, intensely amused, saw them making for the nursery absorbed in conjugal confab. He lingered to watch them go their way, until they disappeared; and he stood a moment longer alone there in the hallway; then the humour faded from his sun-burnt face; he swung wearily on his heel, and descended the stairway, his hand heavy on the velvet rail. The library was large and comfortable, full of agreeably wadded corners and fat, helpless chairs— a big, inviting place, solidly satisfying in dull reds and mahogany. The porcelain of tea paraphernalia caught the glow of the fire; a reading lamp burned on a centre table, shedding subdued lustre over ceihng, waUs, books, and over the floor where lay a few ancient rugs of Beloochistan, themselves full of mysterious, sombre fire. Hands clasped behind his back, he stood in the centre of the room, considering his environment with the grave, absent air habitual to him when brooding. And, as he stood the: , a sound at the door aroused him, and he turned to confront a young girl in hat, 29 i i i THE YOUNGER SET .7!Iw "* 'r* "'^'^ ""1 ^"""'^'^ •dvancing toward him. ■tripping the glove, from a pair of very white hand.. How do you do, Captain Selwyn," she said. « I am Eileen Erroll and I am commissioned to give vou some tea. Nina and Austin are in the nursery tell- ing bedtime stone, and hearing assorted prayers. The children seem to be quite crazy about you-" She unfastened her veil, threw back stole and coat, and. roUmg up her glove, on her wrists, seated her«.lf by the table. *^^mte crazy about you," .he continued, and you»re to be included in bedtime prayers, I be- i;^ Z"*^'^ LemonP-Drina's mad about you and threatens to give you her new maltese puppy. I congratulate you on your popularity." *• Did you see me in the nursery on all fours?" inquired Selwyn. recognising her bronze-red hair. Unfeigned laughter was his answer. He lauffhed too, not very heartily. "My first glimpse of our legendary nur.erT warrior was certainly astonishing," she said, looking around at him with frank malice. Then, ' quicklyl But you don't mind, do you? It's aU in the family, oi course." "^ to y! Ta"""!"^ ^^""^ ^*^ «°^^ S'**'^' " °o "»e to pretend dignity here; you aU see through me in a few moments." * She had given him his tea. Now she sat upright in her chair, smiling, distraite, her hat casting a lumi- nous shadow across her eyes; the fluffy furs, fallen from throat and shoulder, settled loosely around her waist. Glancing up from her short reverie she encountered his curious gaze. To-night is to be my first dinner dance, you 80 ti HIS OWN PEOPLE know/' she said. Faint tinti of excitement stained her white skin ; the vivid scarlet contrast of her mouth was almost startling. " On Thursday I was introduced — " she explained, " and now I'm to have the gayest win- ter I ever dreamed of. . . . And I*m going to leave you in a moment if Nina doesn't hurry and come. Do you mind? " " Of course I mind," he protested amiably, " but I suppose you wish to devote several hours to dress- ing." She nodded. " Such a dream of a gown ! Nina's present! You'll see it. I hope Gerald will be here to see it. He promised. You'll say you like it if you do like it, won't you ? " ** I'll say it, anyway." " Oh, well — if you are contented to be common- place like other men " ** I've no ambition to be different at my age." "Your age?" she repeated, looking up quickly. "You are as young as Nina, aren't you? Half the men in the younger set are no younger than you — and you know it," she concluded — "you are only trying to make me say so — and you've succeeded. I'm not very experienced yet. Does tea bring wisdom. Captain Selwyn?" pouring herself a cup. "I'd better arm myself immediately." She sank back into the depths of the chair, looking gaily at him over her lifted cup. "To my rapid education in worldly wisdom!" She nodded, and sipped the tea almost pensively. He certainly did seem young there in the firelight, his narrow, thoroughbred head turned toward the fire. Youth, too, sat lightly on his shoulders; and it was scarcely a noticeably mature hand that touched the short sun-burnt moustache at intervals. From head 81 THE roVNGER SET i to waist, from h« loo«ly coupled, well-made limb, t, h.s strong, ,l™ f«,t, strength seemed to be tte key note to . ,h,,ic^ b „„,, ^^^„^ ;'h^key The ,dei entered her he«d that he might apneal to advantage on horseback. * ^^^ " We must ride together," she said, returning her whme? Do you? Gerald never has time, so I gf laugh d*"°0h ' ""; ^"""^ '"" *<" ^" »h laughed Oh, you see I am already beginning a selfish family claim on you. I foresee" tbat^ou'lf b^ very busy with us all persistently tugging at "our coat-sleeves ; and what Hth being^iyif ,„ «,.,f J^"^' relf^A d I r- ™"'".,'"''' ^"-'^'""' «- to your! '^It"s' n^^ »"." he said, blinking at HIS OWN PEOPLE "She's only nineteen; pathetically unspoiled— a perfect dear. Men are going to rave over her and — rwt spoil her. Did you ever see such hair?— that thick, ruddy, lustrous, copper tint? — and sometimes it's like gold afire. And a skin like snow and peaches! — she's sound to the core. I've had her exercised and groomed and hardened and trained from the very beginning — every inch of her minutely cared for exactly like my own babies. I've done my best," she concluded with a satis- fied sigh, and dropped into a chair beside her brother. "Thoroughbred," commented Selwyn, "to be turned out to-night. Is she bridle-wise and intelli- gent?" " More than sufficiently. That's one trouble— she's had, at times, a depressing, sponge-like desire for ab- sorbing all sorts of irrelevant things that no girl ought to concern herself with. I— to tell the truth —if I had not rigorously drilled her — she might have become a trifle tiresome; I don't moan precisely frumpy — but one of those earnest young things whose intellectual conversation becomes a visitation — one of the wants-to-know-for-the-sake-of-knowledge sort — a dreadful human blotter! Oh, dear; show me a girl with her mind soaking up * isms ' and I'll show you a social failure with a wisp of hair on her cheek, who looks the dowdier the more expensively she's gowned." " So you believe you've got that wisp of copper- tinted hair tucked up snugly?" asked Selwyn, amused. " I — it's still a worry to me ; at intervals she's in- clined to let it slop. Thank Heaven, I've made her spine permanently straight and her head is screwed properly to her neck. There's not a slump to her from crown to heel—/ know, yon know. She's had specialists to forestall every blemish. I made up my ^«^^V?feBS SET mind to do it • I'm d * ^^^^^^^^^ .the world « fl„fc„ and whir """ ''" "^'P^S betrays her stewarihip ^7 ^ '"Und-or a worn '^y J.nd li^b „ ^; Thy »"rt be .» healthy »»»ded. Thehappie.t Jf'^ "T"' *"'' »hoIe,o, oughbred.. ShowC .1^' '-^t""' «« drilled th^ ««ter demure]/ "" '"«*'»8 the vW™.- „p„^ ^^ "Who?" ™*;r'-^rt:^;tt?;^^^^^ Scott i„„i, ,„ .„ " Pfeltt"."' """''' *'"*^ " """ " *""* »he« ali' had 1":^ ™«^^y: .tari^^ into the Sre She continued to talk rj! '"'^^^'""■t ashes. *«^«' .that hi, mind waT '*"";* ^«"» "ntil .h; no- -cup^d sure enlightredlr"*'^""'"."'-'"' P- * "^^^^^^ • ^^e sa^tl nothing for '''ii^ytx:::^ ^'""■- »- » ^d settled .„/,■"* talking until Miss P." . '^ '"""gh to "■" "--ed me out. J ^" ^rl""«ht me tt it al ' '"""»« on Selwy„_ i;:r*,,- §m ms OWN PEOPLE "children are .hat make life worth wh-" He ceased i^llr^"" ''' '^""^ ^^ '''''' ^-' ^ Whether or not he divined the interference he ,^ very ,u.et y : " IM rather have had chUdre^ tL^ .„" th.ng m the world. They're about the be7the« M in hfe; I agree with you, Austin." «e UrtrTub^T'^t* ■"'"" "''"""• "•» ««"«» f the effort '"'-'' *'""'«'• '^ <"""«• Faihng them, for .econd choice, I've taken to ft,- Au,r;:"A'r"t"hL'is!!!!::?.« '^"*""^'' ■»«- "You're very good; perhaps you'll M be civil ZTZz: z:!^r^ - ^ - -e ^::.: w^'^rr^'ftrof^^L--^^^^^^^^^^ bam-only you don»t mind bein« at the ton «f fi* house, do you, Phil?" ^ "^^ °^ *^® and get the bene«t of p'«n,ature"rplS. '"Shr^:;': h^ ot";ou":jLr «^"' r« «oi„g to plant ;;:?? wi,hl°rbei:x^'-^^:i*t"tr"' "'?;'■= °"'' k«4k u XX , "'^*"^^°- -'^nd, by the same token von'H both better let me implore you to dress • » *5K 85 «a^7^f!PyBiSP!ll^ THE YOUNGER SET [ get up! You're horWW i^ ? %htmg. Austir e u^. ^ou re norribly slow, anvhow Ph.l a x- j man-such as he is-will be at vZr 7' , ' ?'*'" luggage is unpacked." ^ ^"P"''^'' ^"^ ^^^ babe:f'MnUredyi:.C^^^ *^^-«vaI o. of toast or a bowl o/gruel and ,et" " V^ '^ ''""^ bones in a dressing-gownTolrhte-"^ '^'^ "'^ °^^ Oh, come on," said Austin, smothering the va;^ n his voice and casting his ci-rar info ti^ ^? ' You're ahonf ^i'r.« f Jt ^ ^"*° *be ashes. caU it in the armyP-pontootf" '""''^"'"'t ^o you They strolled toward the door, Nina's .rm. I- l. j - the.s. her slin, fingers interlocked o„ her"t We are certainly going to be happy-U thrt- m th,s innocent menage a troi,," she Lm "iZZ know what „,ore you two „,en could Tsk for^or T erthei^or the children or Eileen f^U !^ ^• think it is perfectly horrid^fXal^^otr^'-hf,;. ghastly thin^ tt'^r^-':'' "■"'?" •" *■« take a glance at the children E I dr'ess ^'T" tm, did you remember your tonic?" ' ' ' ^"'■ She looked up surprised when her husband laughed kids,"' II ':^ i.^zzts-T'' •^^'"-' ^^ w.i';raT^«r:^-ro?:it-frt^-! >)«--^^}>,.^'*^>i^'r HIS OWN PEOPLE ing as such for each other's benefit; but deep under the surface stirred the tremors of the same instinctive solicitude that had sent Nina to the nursery. "I used to think," said Gerard, "that the more kids you had the less anxiety per kid. The contrary is true; you're more nervous over half a dozen than you are over one, and your wife is always goini? to the nursery to see that the cat hasn't got in or the place isn't afire or spots haven't come out all over the children." They laughed tolerantly, lingering on the sill of belwyn's bedroom. 1 */*^**«l'," """^ '"""^^ ^ cigarette," suggested the latter. I have nothing to do except to write some letters and dress." But Gerard said: "There seems to be a draught through this hallway; I'll just step upstairs to be sure that the nursery windows are not too wide open. See you later, Phil. If there's anything you need just dingle that bell." -^ And he went away upstairs, only to return in a i^w mmutes, laughing under his breath: « I say, Phil don't you want to see the kids asleep? Billy's flat on his back with a white « Teddy .ar ' in either arm ; and Unna and Josephine are rolled up like two kittens in pajamas; and you should see Winthrop's legs " "Certainly," said Selwyn gravely, « I'U be with you m a second." And turning to his dresser he laid away the letters and the small photograph which he had been examin- ing uiKler the drop-light, locking them securely in the worn despatch box until he should have time to decide whe her to burn them all or only the picture. Then he sbpped on his smoking jacket. 37 *«r - ^^^ rovNnp^j, s^j, "--Ah, about Winthrop»8 le«— " k vaguelj, « certainJjr; I should be vTr. Jt '*P^* them, Austin." -^^ *^*** *<> exami Gerard re°entfX«7L!.°f *^*"'^"* *^'"" '^t^tc nothing the matter withT J"*" ° '!r *^'"- '^«" " Exactlv » !. IJ^ o ' ^°" undersUnd." brothe^r-iti^trttt^^^^ /""^--« ^« ^ lit sewing table a trim ^« ;» '' ^"°™ ^"«*^« » 1*™P " Miss Prroifi" ^'^ '"'^ «"'^l»n«: go down? » ^^"^ ^hen she is ready tc "•dy? Th«,k you •' "" "''"' **'■" Erron i. >tf . . . Don't make to„ T i. • P'tl^tw. i«n't y» think of tC UVw Tl' • • •.?"' "» yet five. . . Anrf T _ ! *^ ' ■'^'"■^— «>>d he's not you ever •« 4ttiLTbi';"tK%T''/"""^= "« Not because thev're ou» a *'* ■"»<='' "^ i-^Mt,? own people-.' h^?h°ll^ v'' T! '"PP"' *» •» your »h.t ha, happenedl!; r"' *" "^ «"y«""»g about- you? You Wtet":: ir,"? """• *°°' '^''"'' -« it ;. natural and fittil Tl ^'"' " ^»'' » should be. Only a man «„; ? li ^°'"' ""'» Pwp'e his- " ^ "" *'"^' '* *ffioult to convey ',;,-_ vousiy°°"'' "'' ''^■"I»'«-' •'" cut in selwyn ner- "I w-'t ^ing to, confound you! I ,„ ^j,^ HIS OWN PEOPLE ^^ Selwjn did not even deign to glance around at him. .ZT « *^ ^^-P'PP^r box." he muttered affection- ately, you'U wake up Drina. Look at her in her cunning pajamas! Oh. but she is a darling, Austin. And look at that boy with his two white bears! h1^ a corker! He's a wonder-honestly. Austin. As for that Josephine kid she can have me on demand; I'll answer to voice, whistle, or hand I say, ought mouth? »° ^""^^ ^""^ ^'*'^' Winthrop's thumb in his "I guess I can get it out without waking him," whispered Gerard. A moment later he accomplished the office, leaned down and drew the bed-covers closer to Tma s dimpled chin, then grasped Selwyn above the elbow in sudden alarm: "If that trained terror, Miss Pa^sely, finds us m here when she comes from dinner, well both catch it! Come on; I'll turn off the light Anyway, we ought to have been dressed long ago; but you insisted on butting in here." s 8 » "«- « A^V^^A ^.^"^*?^>^«^ th^y encountered a radiant and bewildering vision awaiting them: Eileen, in all her glory. "Wonderful!" said Gerard, patting the vision's rounded bare arm as he hurried past-" fine gown! fine girl !— but I've got to dress and so has Philip—" He meant well. ^ " Do you like it, Captain Selwyn? " asked the girl turning to confront him, where he had halted. « Ger- ald isnt coming and-I thought perhaps vou'd be interested " * x- . ^^ The formal, half-patronising compliment on his tongue s t,p remained there, unsaid. He stood silent * 89 thing with.- h.™ re.;:r„Ktt°'"""'"= "'"' ""■^ there .ny^L " f^'^M" u"^ ''^ ^"'"'"i I» "ith me. Nina will_!l,; ' -. ''""■' ""' ""«h.es» Austin wlmirrirtT %*"" " *" ""• «« *"'»«• tice such tt,'„« ; *?' ,°' r"™- '"" he doesn't „t • • . mnk ;o^ ;;\«°::i= "" «?«*> -'» he«. r go down." "■* "" "'■<"' it to you before - o^ its perfection, .tep^^tcl^^- 'toTT Z" in.^ci^tourhr.hti't'' T " r 'r »« "• "Hurry, Phili -"'""*'% Nina knocked, ought to h^'do^stai^^.-rns Vo^^j; ' " " J"" . -g,e diamond d^/nt^ ^^ ^ -• i;;. HIS OWN PEOPLE and interest did it I think the child misses her father on an occasion such as this— the beginning of life— the first step out into the world. Men do not understand what it means to us; Gerald doesn't, I'm sure. I've been watching her, and I know the shadow of that dreadful tragedy falls on her more often than Austm and I are aware of. . . . Shall I fix that tie for you, dear? . . . Certainly I can; Austin won't let a man touch him. . . . There, Phil. . . . Wait' ; ; *, "^^'^ ^°" *'^ decently grateful you'll tell me I look well. Do I? Really? Nonsense, I don't look twenty; but— say it, Phil. Ah, that clever maid of mme knows some secrets— never mind!— but Drina thmks I'm a beauty Come, dear; and thank you for being kind to Eileen. One's own kin counts so much m this world. And when a girl has none, ex- cept a useless brother, little things like that mean a lot to her." She turned, her hand falling on his sleeve. « You are among your own people, anyhow! '» His own people! The impatient tenderness of his sister s words had been sounding in his ears all through the evenmg. They rang out clear and insistent amid the gay tumult of the dinner; he heard them in the laughing confusion of youthful voices; they stole into the delicate undertones of the music to mock him; the rustling of silk and lace repeated them; the high heels of satin shppers echoed them in irony. His own people! The scent of overheated flowers, the sudden warm breeze eddying from a capricious fan, the mourning thriU of the violins emphasised the emphasis of the words. And they sounded sadder and more meaningless 41 HinFiT^^- THE roVNGER SET He turned on !u i. • •* " *** unnerve him. tmgui.h'.^™^' And''fof.'rj't"'""K'' '"" '*' « in hi, „rZ hS "■■•"""«• "• "»«'«' P-Pe clutched 4< '-"-^!«(rrfc. ,, Mm. "at^ CHAPTER II A DKEAM EKDS To pick up once more anJ tighten and knot to- gether the loosened threads which represented the un- finished record that his race had woven into the social labric of the metropolis was merely an automatic matter I or Selwyn. His own people had always been among the makers of that fabric. Into part of its vast and intricate pattern they had woven an inconspicuously honourable record-chronicles of births and deaths and marriages, a plain memorandum of plain living, and upright deal- ing with their fellow men. Some public service of modest nature they had per- formed, not seeking it, not shirking; accomplishing it cleanly when it was intrusted to them. His forefathers had been, as a rule, professional men— physicians and lawyers; his grandfather died under the walls of Chapultepec Castle while twisting a tourniquet for a cursing dragoon; an uncle remained ndefinitely at Malvern Hill; an only brother at Mon- Santia o ""^^ "^'^"''^'^ '"^ *^^ *''^"^^^' ^^^"'"^ His father's services as division medical officer in Sheridan s cavalry had been, perhaps, no more devoted, no more loyal than the services of thousands of officers and troopers; and his reward was a pension offer, de- id I i « Republicn morning nfw^Lr ^ '^ ^f'^*' ■'•<' l-'gad the family, r^,X7u^'7''r Ju4ciou.Iy e„- l" retired. i„ due time^fi™/ .?"*""'°«'-''hith.r >n life, avoided. * ""' "^"^ P^P" he had. Antonio-the firJ^/i J k^^ '" *"" hwte to S,„ with Wo«i.. eavH^."^ °" '^ «"' "d h..t cmp.;;;; with''N«r;:™ft*'^„ ■■»'""'?'«' .S*'"^'. connection e-Ute; and' a year hC'l^'r'/" """« ''""O "^ .Western volu':.teer "tXtt XT' ""'"^ '^"> ■■• »f Leyte, completed i^^XT^"'^ "" **« W"d with^ptiroJ;;:;^,^!'' r • * "■»■■« «-- -"^. heritance at the «"iaTd ? T"^ threada_hi, in-' -ft, and continl^g the p.:L™'C' !,'""' ""'• '"" ^■gn» of the tufted tintL^'i '~?''= «- ~. .nd .^^pT-rpttx- - 44 A DREAM ENDS which had alwaj. «pect^ , from \i\.~Un^, he subicnbed to the Sun ^ n„r?* ''" rr ^"•**^*^^^«» howeTer, in mending the purely gocial strand. «, long relaxed or wvered. The vanou. register, and blue-book. re<»rded hi. re.idence under "dilatory domicile."; he did not .ub.cribe t^ hunger attacked h.m; pre-Yuletide function, he dodged. con.,denng that hi. .i,ter». day. in January andT tendance at other family formalitie. were .ufficient. Meanwhile he wa. looking for two thing.-an apart- ment and a job-the first energetically combated by hi. immediate family. "^ AuItJUi '"^Z '^^~'^^' """"'^y °^ J°^«- Of course Austin offered him one which Selwyn declined at once, comfortably enraging his brother-in-law for nearly ten minutes. -^ tr„.f ^"^''^*^**° ^^"°'' **^°"* ^^^ investment of trust funds?" demanded Selwyn; "you wouldn't take me If I were not your wife's brother-and that's nepotism." Austin's harmles. fury raged for nearly ten min- utes, after which he cheered up, relighted his cigar, and resumed hi. discussion with Selwyn concerning the merits of various boys' schools-the victim in prospec- tive being Billy. ^ *^ A little later, reverting to the subject of his own enforced uileness, Selwyn said: « I'v. been on the point ot gomg to see Neergard—but somehow I can't quite bring myself to it-slinking into his office as a rank failure m one profession, to ask him if he has any use for me again." ''^ .u^^^ff ^""^ !^"'-^'-" «'^^'^^ ^''"''^'^ "it'« all stuff and fancy about your being any kind of a failure 45 •I f ISE_^OVNGERSET Ifjou wmt to raiume irith th.t n..f„i. " " Verv ' P'»»P«rou8, Austin? " of making . J,™- X ' '^'"'^' ""' "■»« "'y your finger.. ItyV!^ ^°" """''^ '"» »" "P on he won-t^thriel Jrhelp "^ """^ '» '"^" ^-8"''. that Neergl^TL, 'il^'^^ L"''- ?\' »"PPO.e h.ve permitted Gerald to^^ il It I ' T"""'' to h., commiMion, and down'rh t .!^1'f^"^ »««k» ti«ed check,. I don'" k„™ !?^ ?" '"""' ■'" «'- I onlj- k„„„ that w° Ln'Th""^'^ J"" •» »P«™te,; Jot our own ac^lt But F^f '°„""" ""* '•'' «■'"« That', their affair, too ft*,!,r' """'"'" * ^"^ d" tell you." ' too, ,t , ,11 , ^t,^^ ^f ^_^^^^ J Selwjn reflected: "I hi.i;.v» i>j ««rd ifl were perfectly .u^'f ^ *" """^ «* Neer- toward him. . ^. S'f C "!f'*™'"«' ""'tiraent, "ur... but I have VlwIvrL" ™°"«'' *° ™- »' Keergard-that he' ™ r et^ ' T."" ^•'«"« «■»•>' •omething-doubtful -•' *" ""S" "'' doing the di::;\t:iraX';to:' B"t 7'-*- »- »•-' through it. On princTl w ^ '■""""■ •«* ™' •pple-f.c«l Dutchman i, ^T"' "'' °"' '" »" Neither Jew, Yankee nor A """^ "<" "» hp,. » « deal wi'th that ;;"ir'"" "-'» «y chance feeling i. this: if IV^t J"?""' P"'o„ally my goMo pUy g.„„ „,.j^ j^j._^^ i,?r«E'*r 1S3P- A DREAM ENDS NeergardPd prefer to be his partner. And so I told irerald. By the way " Austin checked himself, looked down at his ci^ar, turned it over and over several times, then continued quietlj : —"By the way, I suppose Gerald is like other youngr men of his age and times-immersed in his own affairs-thoughtless perhaps, perhaps a trifle selfish in the cross-country gallop after pleasure I was rather severe with him about his neglect of his sister. I* Oh, don't put such notions into his head- Yes, I will ! " insisted Austin ; « however indiffer- ent and thoughtless and selfish he is to other people, he s gof to be considerate toward his own family. And 1 told him so. Have you seen him lately? »» " N-o," admitted Selwyn. "Not since that first time when he came to do the civil by you? " "No; but don't " "Yes, I will," repeated his brother-in-law; "and 1 m gomg to have a thorough explanation with him and learn what he's up to. He's got to be decent to his sister ; he ought to report to me occasionally; that's t f h k'' I! ^u /*• "' ^^' '""'"''^y *^° '""'^h liberty with his bachelor quarters and his junior whipper- snapper club, and his house parties and his cruises on Neergard's boat ! " about bulkily, muttering of matters to be regr.uted and firmly, too. But Selwyn, looking out of L win- dow across the Park, knew perfectly well that young Erroll, now of age, with a small portion of his hand- 47 M I I THE TOVNGKn SET some income at his merev » ^^^=^= no ham in him- he „. ?*y," A»»t'n. There wa. loving cub, chock'fuU 7«,'Z^ ■ '^^T' P'"""^ ■"d. right «,d w«„g. ouHf*!." r,'""'*' S""* ""' <«*. which become haWt. i '"'''• ^°""«' '"n. the his e.tin,.te of Z^ ' ""*" ■"""«»• This ,„ thing happen, to switch me n^', T'^ '"™ «>"»- "I'm afraid tbTt I ^ "'°"'" *'•«''•" ■>» and to the ..m^ ILt^^ ' ^^ '" "■« to •"er mount to finish SrsXt"'"*'"'' """P'"' "">• ^encet ^dle'^""^:!;:':?*"^' •""'^'^ '"^ -'- • pretty Uttle for m«,I^^*^" ""''"«' ™tch.ng determined to be hld^^ ^'T^ » "*•"«'••' horsf who had decid^ ht'w^'X^ 'trrS' ^"""^ «'" Once or twice tl,. ?^ * ** 8ood. "lour fiyir,Xt^Z^^\ "'.r'f '"^' -* «••« narrow and stiff with fil^'^^l «>« bridle-path wa. too near for ,uch hrdT^ff ' "^ **' "«» "'re l-d made up her mh.Z.T.S^''"'' ,'"" "''"" ^rroll moron, idea ttat tW. ;;:"„'i ^'Tf *'"'«'y ^ « hu- found it serious ^^ Z *w ""!.']"■• '^'•' '""»« «o be g«Kl. And tte n're tW '"''f ™'^ °>"''"ded ■I nere was a man — * Bnnf > » t • ^oots Lansmgr—in Ban- •8 *■- , ■-- .-- W^~ -".»f Ts*' '■•«*?;,:. A DREAM ENDS nard 8 command. One night on Samar the bolo-men rushed U8, and Lansing got into the six-foot major's K K^i^T^^*^"^'^'"'^***"""' y°" know-and his horse bucked him clean out of them." " ^«"f h» Christian name. I suppose," said the girl; but why such a story, CapUin Selwyn? I be- lieve I stuck to my saddle? " "With both hands," he said cordially, always alert to plague her. For she was adorable when teased- especially m the beginning of their acquaintance, be- fore she had found out that it was a habit of his-and her bright confusion always delighted him into further mischief. "But I wasn't a bit worried," he continued; "you had him so firmly around the neck. Besides, what horse theT^kT" '^ ""^'"^ '"'^ * ^^'**^* ^^'' °^ *""' *'**""*^ " What you saw," she said, flushing up, « is exactly the way I shaU do any pleading with the two animals you mention." "Spur and curb and thrash us? Oh. mv'" Not if you're bridle-wise. Captain Selwyn," she returned sweetly. "And you know you alw^s are. And sometimes »-Hihe crossed her crop and looked around at him reflectively— " ,omr«" of ninieen, e^ i^t r "" ^'"^^^" ''^ » «P" ^™™her«;t;jr-l;l;U:^-f,l-*'.epo.i.b by yourself.'^ B^t do v„nt ^""VT «»"« '» "''= «« of a particuUrV Xr. r* * ' "*'"' ^°"' He Jaughed at Lt ,K ^ *sp„»>t.oni are you?" * at first, then suddenly his face fell SO iK,v:A■lKOT5■^, A DREAM ENDS " Not from choice," he said, under his breath. Her quick ear heard, and she turned, semi-serious, question- ing hira with raised eyebrows. " Nothing; I was just muttering. IVe a villainous habit of muttering mushy nothings '♦ " You did say something 1 '* " No ; only ghoulish gabble ; the mere murky mouth- ings of a meagre mind." " You did. It's rude not to repeat it when I ask you." " I didn't mean to be rude." " Then repeat what you said to yourself." " Do you wish me to? " he asked, raising his eyes so gravely that the smile faded from lip and voice when she answered: "I beg your pardon, Captain Selwyn. I did not know you were serious.'* "Oh, I'm not," he returned lightly, "I'm never serious. No man who soliloquises can be taken seri- ously. Don't you know. Miss ErroU, that the crowning absurdity of all tragedy is the soHloquy?" Her smile became delightfully uncertain; she did not quite understand him— though her instinct warned her that, for a second, something had menaced their understanding. Riding forward with him through the ci sp sun- shine of mid-December, the word " tragedy " still su md- ing in her ears, her thoughts reverted naturally to he only tragedy besides her own which had ever come very near to her — his own. Could he have meant that? Did people mention such things after they had happened? Did they not rather conceal them, hide them deeper and deeper with the aid of time and the kindly years for a burial past all recollection? 01 y'tv.'^"^'. THE YOUNGER SET have hp#.n Ir-a^* 1 • . "'"» *"e could not very well only a bewildered «Z J?k ? ^ ^°""« «»'^'« ^^^ world, .nd which w« to t ^T?" "' " *^ ^t^.::rf.:^-£^S9^^2«h '" that ™^' ■" .'^"d."; .f'j"" "' '»P* .>«>»-•» th.t. "happily ev.r .f ter » i„ ^fj^" "^ "o «™« She h^o^.^ to hop. .ttLt^d ut:i;r ' 8on. .tr«ght to Ninf h„rifiT IkT""; ^'".'■»'' •dvent; she h«i I^raeZ^"' "'' r."™"-' '»'''« h" 58 :^i'>'xiPM^i.it-s'«r A DREAM ENDS malsane desire to know more than was necessary, and every innocent instinct to preserve her ignorance intact as long as the world permitted. As for the man riding there at her side, his prob- lem was simple enough as he summed it up : to face the world, however it might chance to spin, that small, ridiculous, haphazard world rattling like a rickety rou- lette ball among the numbered nights and days where he had no longer any vital stake at hazard — no longer any chance to win or lose. This was an unstable state of mind, particularly as he had not yet destroyed the photograph which he kept locked in his despatch box. He had not returned it, either ; it was too late by several months to do that, but he was still fool enough to consider the idea at moments — sometimes after a nursery romp with the children, or after a good-night kiss from Drina on the lamp-lit landing, or when some commonplace episode of the domesticity around him hurt him, cutting him to the quick with its very simplicity, as when Nina*s hand fell naturally into Austin's on their way to " lean over " the children at bedtime, or their frank absorp- tion in conjugal discussion to his own exclusion as he sat brooding by the embers in the library. " I'm like a dead man at times," he said to him- self; "nothing to expect of a man who is done for; and worst of all, I no longer expect anything of myself." This was sufficiently morbid, and he usually proved it by going early to his own quarters, where dawn some- times surprised him asleep in his chair, white and worn, all the youth in his hollow face extinct, his wife's pic- ture fallen face downward on the floor. But he always picked it up again when he awoke, 53 and^c^refuil, dusted it, too, even when half stupefied httlf f ""''"Vr"' ^^''' «*"°P' ^^•" Erroll had very Me to say Selwyn. too, was silent and absent-mind J not at aU enhghtened. Man, naturally wa* tn hJ unknown quantitv In f«.* \ I j "**^ *" Dect him Jni- , "''^ ****^ "° '«*«on to 8U8- e«.ten„g about the vor^d. of club. cino. or c.tt^~ im. one, however, appeared to have individual wBo should all resemble one another to any normal rirl F^r.„ »K t * "'"""'■ •'■' "»"«<' them or noT For another, he permitted himself the liberty of lon« «>d unrea«,nable silence, whenever he plelid Twf «he had accepted unquestioningly in the m,Iv dav. ~v ofth' ""'' '" --*'«» wherS,e^^! erepancy of their ages «,d experience. h«l not been t:Z^ by her first presumptuous laughter at^ diffe^toinrh'"'/"' ,?P*'""« " " 'P'^' t"!' amerentmtmg him from Man in the abstract. self J^X v"'^- *T' "' '^*'""« ""I'™ •>!■"- «eu, even when smiling at her sallies or banterinriv her fontrt'lT *° ' '"" "' ""'• At sut Z^ he no longer looked very young; she had noticed that more than once. He looked old, and ill-tempered. Perhaps some sorrow-the artuality being vague in ^.f^v ^ A DREAM ENDS her mind; perhaps some hidden Buffering— but she learned that he had never been wounded in battle and had never even had measles. The sudden sullen pallor, the capricious fits of silent reserve, the smiling aloofness, she never attributed to the real source. How could she? The Incompre- hensible Thing was a Finality accomplished according to law. And the woman concerned was now another man's wife. Which conclusively proved that there could be no regret arising from the Incomprehensible Fmality, and that nobody involved cared, much less suffered. Hence that was certainly not the cause of any erratic or specific phenomena exhibited by this spmple of man who differed, as she had noticed, some- what from the rank and file of his neutral-tinted brothers. "It's this particular specimen, per w," she con- cluded; " it's himself, mi generi$—jnst as I happen to have red hair. That is all." And she rode on quite happily, content, confident of his interest and kindness. For she had never for- gotten his warm response to her when she stood on the threshold of her first real dinner party, in her first real dinner gown— a trivial incident, trivial words! But they had meant more to her than any man speci- men could undersUnd- including the man who had uttered them; and the violets, which she found later with his card, must remain for her ever after the deli- cately fragrant symbol of all he had done for her in a solitude, the completeness of which she herself was only vaguely beginning to realise. Thinking of this now, she thought of her brother— and the old hurt at his absence on that night throbbed again. Forgive? Yes. But how could she forget it? ^ 55 3 f If THE YOUNGER SET «i I wish you knew Gerald well," she said impul- sively; "he is suck a dear fellow; and I think youM be good for him— and besides," she hastened to add, with instinctive loyalty, lest he misconstrue, "Gerald would be good for you. We were a great deal together — at om» time." He nodded, smilingly attentive. "Of course when he went away to school it was diCerent," she added. "And then he went to Yale; that was four more years, you see." " I was a Yale man," remarked Selwyn ; " did he " but he broke off abruptly, for he knew quite well that young Erroll could have made no senior society with- out his hearing of it. And he had not heard of it— not in the cane-brakes of Leyte where, on his sweat- soaked shirt, a small pin of heavy gold had clung through many a hike and many a scout and by many a camp-fire where the talk was of home and of the chances of crews and of quarter-backs. "What were you going to ask me, Captein Sel- wyn?" " Did he row — ^your brother Gerald? " "No," she said. She did not add that he had broken training; that was her own sorrow, to be con- cealed even from Gerald. " No; he played polo some- times. He rides beautifully. Captain Selwyn, and he is so clever when he cares to be — at the traps, for ex- ample— and — oh — ^anything. He once swam — oh, dear, I forget; was it five or fifteen or fifty miles? Is that too {at? Do people swim those distances? " " Some of those distances," replied Selwjrn. " Well, then, Gerald swam some of those distances —and everybody was amazed. ... I do wish you knew him well." 66 A DREAM ENDS ** I mean to/* he said. ** I must look him up at his rooms or his club or — perhaps — at Neergard & Co.** ** Will you do this? '* she asked, so earnestly that he glanced up surprised. ** Yes,** he said ; and after a moment : '* 1*11 do it to-day, I think; this afternoon.** "Have you time? You mustn*t let me ** "Time?** he repeated; "I have nothing else, ex- cept a watch to help me get rid of it.'* ** I*m afraid I help you get rid of it, too. I heard Nina warning the children to let you alone occasion- ally— and I suppose she meant that for me, too. But I only take your mornings, don*t I? Nina is unrea- sonable; I never bother you in the afternoons or even- ings ; do you know I have not dined at home for nearly a month — except when we*ve asked people? ** ** Are you having a good time? '* he asked conde- scendingly, but without intention. " Heavenly. How can you ask that ? — ^with every day filled and a chance to decline something every day. If you*d only ^o to one — just one of the dances and teas and dinners, .you*d be able to see for yourself what a good time I am having. ... I don't know why I should be so delightfully lucky, but everyV dy asks me to dance, and every man I meet is particularly nice, and nobody has been very horrid to me; perhaps because I like everybody '* She rode on beside him; the% were walking their horses now; and as her silken-coated mount paced for- ward through the sunshine she sat at ease, straight as a slender Amazon in her habit, ruddy hair glistening at the nape of her neck, the scarlet of her lips always a vivid contrast to that wonderful unblemished skin of snow. m ^ ^..^iai«&., -.JtliMJlMiJ M THE YOUNGER SET He thought to himwlf. quite impertonaUy : " She's • real beautj. that youngster. No wonder thev ask her to cUnce and nobody i. horrid. Men are likely enough •ome of era have already-that chuckle-headed youth What was hj8 name? " he asked aloud. « Whose name? » she inquired, roused by his voice from smihng retrospection. tin..!7^*K'^'^^* head-the young man who con- hnued to haunt you so persistently when you poured tea for Nma on Tuesday. Of course they «// haunted you, he expUmed pohtely, as she shook her head in 8ign of non-comprfehension; « but there was one who- all — gulped at his cup." « v^"^^**" *'■'' '**^" dreadful. aren»t you?" «.„ful*"' ? T ^V ^ ™*'" *^* infatuated chinless gentleman whose facial ensemble remotely resembled the t'ln"„^;» ""'^^ ""' ""'^^^ ""'^ ^' '^^ Hep. " ^h' George Fane ! That is particularly disagree- able of you, Captain Selwyn, because his wife has been Z'ZTy If "o^I^r ""^ ^-^-^ ^^^ •Po'^e -St " Which one was she? " « The Dresden china one. She looks— she simply cannot look as though she were married. It»s Z t amusing-for people always take her for someb J \ A DREAM ENDS nercd to that ihe couldn*t escape until her mother made her go without any tea." ** Was that the reason that old lady lookeo at me so queerly ? " '* Probably. I did. too, but you were taking chancxs, not hints. . . . She is attractive, isn't she?** "Very fp*.!.''nff," he said, leaning down to examine his stirrup i./i^^hcrs which he had already lengthened twice. ** i ve |;' t to l-uvr ' 'ummins punch these again," 'T <<.r. , owing queer-legged in my he mutter. J ; old a/fje - " A< He s^rtii^.hun il .n Miss ErroU said: "Here come \fr. i* uir m «'— with a strikingly pretty girl. How bea\'.ti-orbed to care »h.t .he thought-whether .he thought at .11 And ■nto h,. co„«,ou,ne.., throbbing h«vily under the that Ahxe wa. no longer an apparition evoked in .leen- le..„e.., ,n .un-Iit brooding; in the «,litude of erowd^ fn:Cg^",^rr^™„''-^^j'.-cj-^ X:^ra,t:d'-rk„^i;tf -r T run::;,:t::,r''''-^^----^^^^^ m life again— somewhere; though what he uJ\ Iwo vision-tinted years '—^nrlnW -« "•HP'neM. with the muffled chinJof-a^^^-^Cin" tf'.ir.'; 60 A DREAM ENDS and the shuffle of bare feet in darkened bungulows, and the whisper of dawn in Manila town. Two jears! — wherever they came from, wherever they had gone. And now, out of the ghostly, shadowy memory, behold her stepping into the world again! — living, breathing, quickening with the fire of life un- dimmed in her. And he had seen the bright colour spreading to her eyes, and the dark eyes widen to his stare ; he had seen the vivid blush, the forced smile, the nod, the voiceless parting of her stiffened lips. Then she was gone, leaving the whole world peopled with her living presence and the very sky ringing with the words her lips had never uttered, never would utter while sun and moon and stars endured. Shrinking from the clamouring tumult of his thoughts he looked around, hard-eyed and drawn of mouth, to find Miss Erroll riding a length in advance, her gaze fixed resolutely between her horse's ears. How much had she noticed? How much had she divined.? — this straight, white-throated young girl, with her self-possession and her rounder<'»»ing, I suppose. Nina, I ♦' " One moment, dear. I promised the children that you would lunch with them in the nursery Do you mmd? I d,d it to keep them quiet ; I was weak enough to compromise between a fox hunt or fudge; so I said you d lunch with them. Will you?" "Certainly . . And, Nina-what sort of a man w this George Fane? " " Fane? »' .„ ," ^'^»— *•?* ^^^'•nl"* gentleman with gentle brown brontolau^?"* '^'' *""* *^' expression of a tame "Why-how do you mean, Phil? What sort of ^*pular/'' * ''• "' ''"** "''^ P""'"-^' ''"^ ^«'« " Oh, popular! " he nodded, as close to a sneer as he could ever get. " He lias a very popular wife, too ; haven't you met Rosamund? People like him; he's about everywhere- very usef ,1 very devoted to pretty women ; but I'm ^ally in a hurry Phil. Won't you please explain to Eileen that I couldn't wait? You and she were almost an hour late. Now I must pick up my skirts and fly, or there 11 be some indignant dowagers downtown. . . . Good-bye, dear And don't let the children eat too est A DREAM ENDS fast ! Make Drina take thirty-six chews to every bite ; and Winthrop is to have no bread if he has pcutow— " Her voice dwindled and died away through the liaU; the front door clanged. He went to his quarters, drove out Austin's man, arranged his own fresh Hnen, took a sulky plunge ; and, an unlighted cigarette between his teeth, completed his dressing in sullen introspection. When he had tied his scarf and bitten his cigarette to pieces, he paced the room once or twice, squared his shoulders, breathed deeply, and, unbending his eye- brows, walked off to the nursery. " Hello, you kids ! " he said, with an effort. " I*ve come to luncheon. Very nice of you to want me, Drina." " I wanted you, too ! " said Billy ; " I'm to sit be- side you " " So am I,*' observed Drina, pushing Winthrop out of the chair and sliding in close to Selwyn. She had the cat, Kit-Ki, in her arms. Kit-Ki, divining nourish- ment, was purring loudly. Josephine and C'lemence, in pinafores and stickout skirts, sat wriggling, with Winthrop between them; the five dogs sat in a row behind ; Katie and Bridget assumed the functions of Hibernian Hebes; and lunch- eon began with a clatter of spoons. It being also the children's dinner — supper and bod occurring from five to six — meat figured on the card, and Kit-Ki's purring increased to an ecstatic and wheezy squeal, and her rigid tail, as she stood up on Drina's lap, was constantly brushing Selwjm*i features. " The cat is shedding, too,** he remarked, as he dodged her caudal appendage for the twentieth time; 6S » 3 llfi 3 1 1 ! ■ -A not careful .bout opening your mouth." ' "LINES TO AIY CAT "Why Do I love Kit-Ki And run after Her with laughter And rub her fur So 8he will purr ? Why do I know That Kit-Ki loves me so? I know it if Her tail stands up stiff And she beguiles Me with smiles — " ;; Huh ! » said Billy, " cats don't smile ! » They do When they look pleasant they smile " "id Dnna, and continued reading from her own work;.. "Be kind in all You say and do For God made Kit-Ki The same as you. " Yours truly, " Alixandrina (Jmahd. 64 -ir. ;«v ^'^ ^. A DREAM ENDS She looked doubtfully at Selwyn. " Is it all right to sign a poem? I believe that poets sign their works, don't they, Uncle Philip? " " Certainly. Drina, I'll give you a dollar for that poem." "You may have it, anyway," said Drina, gener- ously; and, as an after-thought: "My birthday is next Wednesday." "What a hint!" jeered Billy, casting a morsel at the dogs. "It isn't a hint. It had nothing to do with my poem, and I'll write you several more. Uncle Philip," protested the child, cuddling against him, spoon in hand, and inadvertently decorating his sleeve with can- berry sauce. Cat hairs and cranberry are a great deal for a man to endure, but he gave Drina a reassuring hug and a whisper, and leaned back to remove traces of the affectionate encounter just as Miss Erroll entered. "Oh, Eileen! Eileen!" cried the children; "are you coming to luncheon with us? " As Selwyn rose, she nodded, amused. " I am rather hurt," she said. " I went down to luncheon, but as soon as I heard where you all were I marched straight up here to demand the reason of my ostracism." "We thought you had gone with mother," ex- plained Drina, looking about for a chair. Selwyn brought it. "I was commissioned to say that Nina couldn't wait — dowagers and cakes and all that, you know. Won't you sit down? It's rather messy and the cat is the guest of honour." "We have three guests of honour." said Drina; 65 THE YOUNGER SET i l! I! /IrW-j/"'"'."'' '^"*- ""* PWliP. mother h« -.dtteThiM""^,^""'"''' ""' •*<"» •' "'<>" gone; ^U» ch.ld .m.l«l up .t him. .. WoMn't it? ? .he the "Zu" ^T't," '^"'^'^ ««" «»««>■■»« .ileneed .v.p't«e::;;i-«r:-T:'^t^^^^^ by^ «o.p,„g. eager n.„z«le. and franticJIy wag^-;;^ w put you m the guard-house! " i. JiiJ^" ?" 'f"" ""■'' ^^''^^ ""»* Mi.. Erroll «»'»« to Pl«y for you to .ing." »..J- '."r* *5'*- '^ "^""t G*""i« were n,u,i- «Uy mehned. a.,d nothing plea«d them better^hr^ m tte.r vo.ee. m uni«,„. Be.ide,, it alw.y, di.t,^j2 J^m caT Ifriftrr "ir* i*"'«'""« "• - ">" - «»PPy cat retreat before the first minor chord .truck on the piano. More than that, the dog. alway. „"!! te.^. no«. pointed Wvenw.rd. It*^m«7 nS« t?w^ "'™y »«'«">■» in any form. ' Mir."&:ri;;,d"Xy^"°"'" '"""■'"■ ^"'^• «kedBilfv''°.w^ "i"?' "■" ^" 'Mi- ErroII'?" ••«ed Billy. Why don't you .ay ' Eileen •? " 66 A DREAM ENDS Selwyn laughed. "I don't know, BiUy; ask her- perhaps she knows." ' Eileen laughed, too. delicately embarrassed and aware of his teasing smile. But Drina, always im- pressed by formality, said: " Uncle Philip isn't Eileen's uncle. People who are not relations say Miss and Mrs." .. ^r*. !>''*'• """^ ™"^" relations?" asked Jose- pmne timidly. ,. " y^TT?.'""^ *^°"'* ^°'''" «ln»itted Drina; ** are they, Eileen?" «Why,yes-thatis-thatistosay-" And turn- ing to Selwyn: "What dreadful questions. Are they relations. Captain Selwyn? Of course they are' " "They were not before they were married." he said, laughing. ' h.r fV ^°" "'*''"«^ f i^^"'" ^S'^n Billy, "you'd call ner fiileen. I suppose." " CerUinly," said Selwyn. "Why don't you?" " w^,* if *"°*!;" **>'"« you mu»t ask her, my son." " Well, then, Eileen " ^ But Miss Erroll was already seated at the nursery piano, and his demands were drowned in a decisive chord which brought the children clustering around her, while their nurse, ran among them untying bibs and scrubbing faces and fingers in fresh water. They sang like seraphs, grouped around the piano, fingers linked behind their backs. First it was " The ^hZ uf'V Then-and the cat fled at the first chord—" Lochleven Castle " : " Put off, put off, And row with speed For now is the time and the hour of need." 67 THE YOUNGER SET % I ♦» pleaded Mi.. Erroll .ang. too; her voice Ieadin«— « charm- jngly tramed, but childlike voice, of „o pr!^.io„rT. fre.h and un.poiled a. the girl herself. ' ' There wa. an interval after " Ca.tle8 in the Air "• Edeen «.t. with her nu.rvellou.ly white hand, rfstn; « V '^"ir^'i'"* ^''''^' suggestion. * hing that funny .ong, Uncle Philip! Billy ; you know— the one about ; "She hit him with, shingle Which made his breeches tingle Because he pinched his little baby brother; And he ran down the lane With his pants full of pain. Oh, a boy's best friend is hu mother ! " " «%/ » gasped Mis. ErroU. Selwyn, mortified, said severely: "That is a verv dreadful song, Billy »» '^ " But you taught it to me ♦» had^lreS rT* T""^ °" **•' P^''^"^ -^^^^^ b«* Selwyn ♦K ^k1 ,^''^"' /"'^^ying the scene from her perch thought that Selw, »s years seemed to depend entret upon hi. occupation, for he looked very boyisr dow^ there on h.s knee, among the children; and she 3 Meanwhile the bolo-men were rushing the outposts to the outposts* inten« wtisfaction. ^ 68 A DREAM ENDS '* Bang-bang!'* repeated Winthrop; "I hit you. Uncle Philip. You are dead, you know ! " "Yes, but here comes another! Fire!" shouted BiUy. "Save the flag! Hurrah! Pound on the piano, Eileen, and pretend \t's cannon.'* Chord after chord reverberated through the big sunny room, punctuated by all the cavalry music she had picked up from West Point and her friends in the squadron. " We cant get 'em up ! We can't get 'em up ! We can't get 'em up In the morning ! " she sang, calmly watching the progress of the battle, until Selwyn disengaged himself from the meUe and sank breathlessly into a chair. "All over," he said, declining further combat. " Play the * Star-spangled Banner,' Miss Erroll." "Boom!" crashed the chord for the sunset gun; then she played the anthem; Selwyn rose, and the children stood up at salute. The party was over. Selwyn and Miss Erroll, strolling together out of the nursery and down the stairs, fell unconsciously into the amiable exchange of badinage again ; she taunting him with his undignified behaviour, he retorting in kind. " Anyway that was a perfectly dreadful verse you taught Billy," she concluded. "Not as dreadful as the chorus," he remarked, wincing. " You're exactly like a bad small boy. Captain Sel- wyn; you look like one now—so sheepish! I've seen 69 THE roUNGEB SET I t '■ f I ^hi^ *"*'"^* *** *""**** •dnionition in exactly that Ki *!li"**« ''r* • J"*"^ **""^ ''•^^?" *»« inquired bUndlj ; unlets youVe » >niething on. I .uppoie you " Yet. I have; « te* at the Fa..e8, a function at the m^the'r » * ^'*" ^"'^ Sudbury Gray? It'i hit They had strolled into the living room-a bia. -juare. sunny place, in golden green, and browns, where a bay-window overlooked the Park ah* flr^ ""i r *^,*^-»''«»- °f the deep window seat •he flattened her delicate nose against the glass, peer- ing out through the lace hangings. ^ "Everybody and his family are driving." she said IJ^r her .houlder. « The rich and great afe' cornering !7sitT"' r^P^^- ^*'' ^"t«'«^-tin«. i-n't it. merely to lit here and count coteries! There is Mrs. Venden- that pretty Mrs. Delmour-Cames ; Newport! Here come «,me Cedarhurst people-the Fleetwoods. It al- iTJllJ^TTu ^ r ^^^'^ °"* °^ *»^*^ '^^^^'' There «^ s" ^^^ ^ ^' "'**.'f"^* ^"* '''^"^ ^ *^'^' »"d there ^old ^ V ^'"* T*^ • ^''y °'^ lady-there, in i«^or wl r*^ coach~oh, it is Mrs. Jan Van Elten. ■«ior. What a very, very quaint old lady ! I have *^d^;r"^*t* T"'r '^' *^*^^» '^•'^ * «"le laugh, and now aU the law has been fulfilled » For a while she kneeled there, silently intent on the passujg pageant with all the unconscious curiosity of a child. Presently, without turning: « They speak of the younger set-but what is its limit? So mVny. so many people! The hunting crowd-the silly cr^wd- the wealthy seU-the dreadful yellow set-then all 70 A DREAM ENDS those other* made out of metals — copper and coal and iron and — " She shrugged her youthful shoulders, still intent on the passing show. " Then there are the intellectuals — the artistic, the illuminated, the musical sorts. I — I wish I knew more of them. They were my father's friends — some of them." She looked over her shoulder to see where Sel- wyn was, and whether he was listening; smiled at him, and turned, resting one hand on the window seat. " So many kinds of people," she said, with a shrug. ** Yes," said Selwyn laxUy, " there are all kinds of kinds. You remember that beautiful nature-poem: "* The sea-gull And the eagul And the dipper-dapper-duck And the Jew-iish And the blue>fish And the turtle in the muck ; And the squir'l And the girl And the flippy floppy bat Arc differ-ent As gent from gent So let it go at that!'" " What hideous nonsense," she laughed, in open en- couragement; but he could recall nothing more — or pretended he couldn't. " You asked me," he said, " whether I know Sud- bury Gray. I do, slightly. What about him? " And he waited, remembering Nina's suggestion as to that wealthy young man's eligibility. " He's one of the nicest men I know," she replied frankly. 6 71 Ml^J^ir.lk^. MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 H"- I I.I 1.25 1^ m 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 ^ /APPLIED IIVMGE Inc ^^ 1653 East Ma^n Street r.S Rochester, New York U609 USA as (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone as (716) 288 - 5989 - FOK r- i^vjajM' THE YOUNGER SET '' Yes, but you don't know « Boots ' Lansing." " The gentleman who was bucked out of his foot- wear? Is he attractive? " "Rather. Shrieks rent the air when ' Boots ' left Manila." " Feminine shrieks? " "Exclusively. The men were glad enough. He has three months' leave this winter, so you'll see him soon." She thanked him mockingly for the promise, watch- ing him from amused eyes. After a moment she said- I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little— just a very little bit too much festivity so far. ... Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places. Oh, no. Only She looked shyly a moment at Selwyn : " I some- times feel a curious desire for other things. I have been feeling it all day." "What things?" "I— don't know— exactly; substantial things. I'd like to learn about things. My father was the head of the American School of Arch«ology in Crete. My mother was his intellectual equal, I believe -" Her voice had fallen as she spoke. « Do you won- der that physical pleasure palls a little at times? l" inherit something besides a capacity for dancing." He nodded, watching her with an interest and curi- osity totally new. " When I was ten years old I was taken abroad for the winter. I saw the excavations in Crete for the buried city which father discovered near Pr«sos. We lived for a while with Professor Flanders in the Fayum 72 ■£^m^^y!'^^wmi.^p^m^^-ia.il THE YOUNGER SET and a thicket of corn-tinted hair, which was usually damp at the ends, and curled flat against his forehead. He seemed to be always in a slight perspiration — he had been, anyway, every time Selwyn met him anywhere. Sandon Craig and Billy Fleetwood came wandering up and joined them ; one or two other men, drifting by, adhered to the group. Selwyn, involved in small talk, glanced sideways at the great clock, and gathered himself together for de- parture. Fleetwood was saying to Craig: "Certainly it was a stiff game— Bradley, myself, Gerald Erroll, Mrs. Delmour-Cames, and the Ruthvcns." " Were you hit.? " asked Craig, interested. " No ; about even. Gerald got it good and plenty, though. The Ruthvens were ahead as usual '* Selwyn, apparently hearing nothing, quietly rose and stepped out of the circle, paused to set fire to a cigarette, and then strolled off toward the visitors' room, where Gerald was now due. Fane stretched his neck, looking curiously after him. Then he said to Fleetwood: " Why begin to talk about Mrs. Ruthven when our friend yonder is about.? Rotten judgment you show, Billy." " Well, I clean forgot," said Fleetwood; " what did I say, anyway? A man can't always remember who's divorced from who in this town." Harmon, whose civility to Selwyn had possibly been based on his desire for pleasant relations with Austin Gerard and the Arickaree Loan and Trust Company, looked at Fleetwood thoroughly vexed. But nobody could have suspected vexation in that high-boned smile which showed such very red lips through the blond beard. 78 A DREAM ENDS i .1 Fane, too, smiled; his prominent soft brown eyes expressed gentlest good-humour, and he passed his hand reflectively over his unusually small and retreating chin. Perhaps he was thinking of the meeting in the Park that morning. It was amusing; but men do not speak of such things at their clubs, no matter how amusing. Besides, if the story were aired and were trar-d to him, Ruthven might turn ugly. There was no coutiting on Ruthven. Meanwhile Selwyn, perplexed and worried, found young ErroU just entering the visitors' room, and greeted him with nervous cordiality. " If you can't stay and dine with me," he said, " I won't put you down. You know, of course, I can only ask you once in a year, so we'll stay here and chat a bit." " Right you are," said young Erroll, flinging off his very new and very fashionable overcoat — a wonder- fully handsome boy, with all the attraction that a quick, warm, impulsive manner carries. " And I say, Selwyn, it was awfully decent of you to " " Bosh ! Friends are for that sort of thing, Grerald. Sit here — " He looked at the young man hesitatingly ; but Gerald calmly took the matter out of his jurisdic- tion by nodding his order to the club attendant. " Lord, but I'm tired," he said, sinking back into a big arm-chair; "I was up till daylight, and then I had to be in the office by nine, and to-night Filly Fleet- wood is giving — oh, something or other. By the way, the market isn't doing a thing to the shorts! You're not in, are you, Selwyn ? " " No, not that way. I hope you are not, either ; are you, Gerald .'' " *' Oh, it's all right," replied the young fellow con- 79 iz-TBT.r ^'we^'t^r . "_■ '^r•^^J\■^ .Jki THE roUNGKR SET "You were mighty nice to me, anyhow" he ...A -tt,ng h„ gW a.ide and lighting a c^', .. y"''' half a dozen of us went them T », . i *i """'*^' "o « man ever drew to a " ck r That w i^:'* ""'^' . The hoy wa, uttoHy tonlf Z h t tre^d' ..t ^; ve:;l:e^rHXnT.trirr^ not offen..ve to hi, listener, he laughed throTigrrd One moment," interrupted Selwyn, very ^entlv • ante ZJ^^ *"■" y ^ ^^^ '"./te^.- *^ Why, no; I just indorsed it over." JacJ" ;tn in T'l, 7*' '^ ^^"«»^^ "*o Mrs. reled what he'was ra.rnt'a'^d T 'Z' 'T *^*^ ^^ to his hair. ^ *^' '^''PP'^ *»^*«*^' «*»rlet Selwyn»s face had little colour remaining in it but he said very kindlv « Tf »., „ii • i. J *^ ' "^ worry » ^* '''^ '■'«^*' ^^^*^d; don't " I'm a beast ! " broke out the bov • « T Kn« pardon a thousand times." ^' ^ ^^« ^""^ « Granted old chap. But, Gerald, may I say one thmg—or perhaps two.? " ' «/ ^ say one Its only this: couldn't you and T »^ other . httle oftenerP Don, TaCfd lrZ:V.Z 80 A DREAM ENDS wet blanket. I'm not so very aged, either; I know something of the world — I understand something of men. I'm pretty good company, Gerald. What do you say ? " " I say, sure ! " cried the boy warmly. "It's a go, then. And one thing more: couldn't you manage to come up to the house a Httle oftener? Everybody misses you, of course; I think your sister is a trifle -sensitive " " I will ! " said Gerald, blushing. " Somehow I've had such a lot on hand — all day at the office, and some- thing on every evening. I know perfectly well I've neglected Eily— and everybody. But the first moment I can find free " Selwyn nodded. " And last of all," he said, " there's something about my own affairs that I thought you might advise me on." Gerald, proud, enchanted, stood very straight; the older man continued graveh': " I've a little capital to invest — not very much. Suppose — and this, I need not add, is in confidence be- tween us — suppose I suggested to Mr. Neergard " "Oh," cried young Erroll, delighted, "that is fine! Neergard would be glad enough. Why, we've got that Valleydale tract in shape now, and there are scores of schemes in the air — scores of them — import- ant moves which may mean — anything ! " he ended, excitedly. "Then you think it would be all right — in case Neergard likes the idea .'' " Gerald was enthusiastic. After a while they shook hands, it being time to separate. And for a long time Selwyn sat there alone in the visitors' room, absent- eyed, facing the blazing fire of cannel coal. 81 THE YOUNGER SET 1 How to be friends with tWs boy without openly piHymrf the mentor; how to gain hi. confidence with- ou* appearing to seek it; how to influence him without aJarming h.m! No; there wus no great harm in him jet; only the impulse of inconsiderate youth; only an enthusiastic capacity for pleasure. One thing was imperative-the boy must cut out his card-playing for stnkcs at once; and there was a way to accomplish that by impressing Gerald with the idea that to do anything behind Neergard's back which he would not care to tell him about was a sort of treachery. Who were these people, anyway, who wc uld permit a boy of that age, and in a responsible position, to fuch ? '**'''' ^ ^^° ^^^^ ^^^^ *° encourage Selwyn's tightening grasp on his chair suddenly related; he sank back, staring at the brilliant coals. •He, too, had forgotten. Now he remembered, in humiliation unspeakable, in bitterness past all belief. Time sped, and he sat there, motionless; and gradu- ally the bitterness became less perceptible as he drifted, antent on d:.xting, back through the exotic sorc.ry of dead years-back into the sun again, where honour was bright and life was young— where all the world awaited happy conquest-where there was no curfew in the red evening glow; no end to day, because the golden light had turned to silver; but wi^ere the eariiest hint of W ^«,%f/*^*"«nge. and where every yeUow star whispered " Awake ! " And out of the magic she had come into his worid again! Sooner or later he would meet her now. That was 82 A DREAM ENDS •ure. When? Where' And of what significanco wis it, after all? Whom did it concern? Him? Her? And what had he to say to her, after all? Or she to him? Not one word. About midnight he roused himself and picked up his hat and coat. "Do you wish a cab, please?" whispered the club servant who held his coat ; " it is snowing very hard. sir. 83 ■•riyvf^^ 'L'lmi^' CHAPTER III UKDEa THE ASHES He had neither burned nor returned the photo- graph to Mrs. Ruth\en. The prospect perplexed and depressed Selwyn. He was sullenly aware that in a town where the divorced must ever be reckoned with when dance and dinner lists are made out, there is always som« thought- less hostess — and sometimes a mischievous one; and the chances were that he and Mrs. Jack Ruthven would collide, either through the forgetfulness or malice of somebody or, through sheer hazard, at some large af- fair where Destiny and Fate work busily together in criminal copartnership. And he encountered her first at a masque and revel given by Mrs. Delmour-Carnes where Fate contrived that he should dance in the same set with his ci-devant wife before the unmasking, and where, unaware, they gaily exchanged salute and hand-clasp before the jolly melee of unmasking revealed how close together two people could ccme after parting for ever and a u.ght at the uttermost ends of the earth. When masks at last were off there was neither necessity nor occasion for the two surprised and rather pallid young people to renew civilities ; but later. Des- tiny, the saturnine partner in the business, interfered; 84 jatxmpivp^^i.1 UNDER THE ASHES and some fool in the smoking room tried to introduce Selwyn to Ruthven. The sHghtest mistake on their parts would have rendered the incident ridiculous ; and Ruthven made that mistake. That was Selwyn's first encounter with the Ruth- vens. A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the debutante Craig girls — and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe. If there was any awkwardness it was not apparent, although they both knew that they were in full view of the house. A cool bow and its cooler acknowledgment, a formal word and more formal reply; and Selwyn made his way to the corridor, hot with vexation, unaware of where he was going, und oblivious of the distressed and apologetic young man, who so contritely kept step with him through the brilliantly crowded prom- enade. That was the second time — not counting distant glimpses in crowded avenues, in the Park, at Sherry's, or across the hazy glitter of thronged theatres. But the third encounter was different. It was all a mistake, bom of the haste of a heed- less and elderly matron, celebrated for managing to do the wrong thing, but who had been excessively nice to him that winter, and whose position in Manhattan was not to be assailed. " Dear Captain Selwyn," she wheezed over the tele- phone, " I'm short one man ; and we dine at eight and it's that now. Could you help me? It's the rich and yellow, this time, but you won't mind, will you?" Selwyn, standing at the lower telephone in the hall, asked her to hold the wire a moment, and glanced up 85 m THE YOUNGER SET I at his sister who was descending the stairs with Eileen, dinner having at that instant been announced. " Mrs. T. West Minster — flying signals of distress," he said, carefully covering the transmitter as he spoke ; ** man overboard, and will I kindly take a turn at the wheel? " " What a shame ! " said Eileen ; " you are going to spoil the first home dinner we have had together in weeks ! " " Tell her to get some yellow pup ! " growled Aus- tin, from above. " As though anybody could get a yellow pup when they whistle," said Nina hopelessly. " That's true," nodded Selwyn ; " I'm the original old dog Tray. Whistle, and I come padding up. Ever faithful, you see." And he uncovered the transmitter and explained to Mrs. T. West Minster his absurd delight at being whistled at. Then he sent for a cab and saimtered into the dining-room, where he was received with undisguised hostility. " She's been civil to roe," he said ; " jeumesae oblige, you know. And that's why I " "There'll be a lot of debutantes there! What do you want to go for, you cradle robber!" protested Austin — " a lot of water-bibbing, olive-eating, talcum- powdered debutantes " Eileen straightened up stifily, and Selwyn's teasing smile and his offered hand in adieu completed her in- dignation. " Oh, good-bye ! No, I won't shake hands. There's your cab, now. I wish you'd take Austin, too; Nina and I are tired of dining with the prematurely aged." " Indeed, we arc," said Mrs. Gerard ; " go to your 86 itl«^-^.:?/fiP UNDER THE ASHES I k- i 3% club, Austin, and give me a chance to telephone to somebody under the anaesthetic age," Selwyn departed, laughing, but he yawned in his cab all the way to Fifty-third Street, where he entered in the wake of the usual laggards and, surrendering hat and coat in the cloak room, picked up the small slim envelope bearing his name. The card within disclosed the information that he was to take in Mrs. Somebody-or-Other ; he made his way through a great many people, found his hostess, backed off, stood on one leg for a moment like a re- flective water-fowl, then found Mrs. Somebody-or- Other and was absently good to her through a great deal of noise and some Spanish music, which seemed to squirt through a hicket of palms and bespatter every- body. "Wonderful music," observed his dinner partner, with singular originality; " «o like Carmen." " Is it .J* " he replied, and took her away at a nod from his hostess, whose daughter Dorothy leaned for- ward from her partner's arm at the same moment, and whispered : " I must speak to you, mamma ! You can't put Captain Selwyn there because " But her mother was deaf and smilingly sensitive about it, so she merely guessed what reply her child expected: "It's all settled, dear; Captain Selwyn ar- rived a moment ago." And she closed the file. It was already too late, anyhow; and presently, turning to see who was seated on his left, Selwyn found himself gazing into the calm, flushed face of Alixe Ruthven. It was their third encounter. They exchanged a dazed nod of recognition, a meaningless murmur, and turned again, apparently un- disturbed, to their respective dinner partners. 7 87 i .u m 7^ THE YOUNGER SET dL«" when r*. "'"T"* "' '■■' ^-W -"hou .0 epW It wi th tr T'"* *■■' '"■"«•>"• Then «•» accepted it with true humour. She could afford tn .„™**r"''"''''/''''^"' 8""-'y «»"« of an accident somewhere, and perfectly conscious of the Mini which must by this time dominate his hoste s w« wof at::^tcrm^~----^ Jitfe easier fo'r ''^C^ Jd-MrS^ nf JU iXSr:i]rri,tcfc!-dH r±,"rr ''™ ■" ''"y">'"« ™"'